JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  •  BOSTON  •  CHICAGO  •  DAIXAS 
ATLANTA  ■  SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Libhted 

LONDON   •  BOMBAY   •  CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


AN    EXPOSITION   OF    PRINCIPLES   AND    METHODS 

OF  JEWISH  SOCIAL  SERVICE  IN  THE 

UNITED    STATES 


BY 
BORIS  D.  BOGEN,  Pd.  D. 


Npm  f  nrk 

THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1917 

AU  rights  reserved 


Copyright,  1917 

By  the  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  May,  1917. 


TO  MAX  SENIOR 


/^  Ui-A~:  ,'*^-Al 


PREFACE 

This  book  is  an  attempt  to  meet  the  demand  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  engaged  or  are  interested  in 
Jewish  social  service,  for  a  statement  of  the  principles 
evolved  through  the  experience  of  the  last  two  decades 
in  various  philanthropic  efforts  of  the  Jews  of  this 
country.  It  is  primarily  a  compilation  of  the  different 
ideas  expressed  by  the  leaders  of  the  movements  on 
various  occasions,  as  well  as  a  presentation  of  the 
actual  practical  experiences  that  were  met  in  the  dif- 
ferent lines  of  philanthropic  activity.  It  is  intended 
to  serve  as  a  text-book  for  beginners,  and  as  a  ready 
resume  for  those  who  are  already  engaged  in  the  field. 

No  claim  for  scientific  treatment  of  the  subjects  is 
made,  but  it  is  hoped  that  as  a  first  attempt  in  this 
direction  it  may  serve  as  an  impetus  toward  clarifying 
the  indefinite  views  in  vogue  at  present  among  Jewish 
social  workers  of  the  cotmtry  and  help  beginners  to 
orient  themselves  in  the  perplexing  problems  of  Jewish 
social  service. 

The  book  is  practically  a  revision  of  a  course  of  lec- 
tures on  Jewish  philanthropy  given  for  the  last  6  years 
at  the  Hebrew  Union  College  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  The 
leading  Jewish  social  workers  of  the  country  should  be 
given  credit  for  their  co-operation  in  reading  the  manu- 
script and  making  emendations  and  corrections  with- 


vm  PREFACE 

out  which  this  book  would  lose  considerable  part  of  its 
value.  Special  thanks  are  due,  and  are  hereby  tendered 
to  Dr.  Lee  K.  Frankel,  Morris  Waldman,  Louis  Levin, 
David  Bressler,  Dr.  Ludwig  Bernstein,  Jacob  Billikopf, 
Rabbi  David  PhiUpson,  Rabbi  Stephen  S.  Wise,  Adolph 
S.  Oko,  and  A.  S.  Freidus  for  suggestions  and  criticism, 
to  Dr.  Kaufman  Kohler  for  aid  in  preparing  Chapter  III, 
and  to  Mr.  Julius  Rosenwald,  through  whose  gen- 
erosity this  pubHcation  became  possible.  I  desire  to 
acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Iskander  Hourwich 
who  revised  and  prepared  the  manuscript  for  publica- 
tion. 

BORIS  D.  BOGEN. 
Cincinnati,  October  i,  1916. 


( 


TABLE  OF  COiNTENTS 

INTRODUCTION 
CHAPTER  I 

0  PAGE 

The  Extent  and  Scope  of  Jewish  Philanthropy i 

A.  The  Problem  of  Modem  Philanthropy i 

(  B.  Reasons  for  Philanthropic  Agencies  Specifically  Jewish: 
Sectarianism.  Promise  of  the  Jews — Never  to  Become  a 
Burden  on  the  General  Community.     Immigration.     The 

Specific  Problem i 

C.  The  Extent  of  Jewish  Philanthropy 7 

Questions 9 

CHAPTER  II 

Dependency  among  Jews 10 

A.  Basic  Principles  and  Specific  Causes 10 

B.  Temporary  Dependency  Due  to  Immigration 10 

C.  Chronic  Dependency  of  Recent  Origin:  Resistance  Power. 
Formation  of  Permanent  Slum  Conditions.    The  Necessity 

for  Jewish  Agencies 12 

Questions 15 

^  CHAPTER  ni 

Charity  among  the  Jews 16 

A.  Charity  Based  on  Justice 16 

B.  Systematic  Relief 18 

C.  Principles  of  Relief 21 

D.  Jewish  Charity  in  the  Middle  Ages 23 

E.  Charitable  Societies 26 

Questions 26 

is 


X  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IV 

PAGE 

National  Organizations 27 

A.  The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund:  Baron  Maurice  De  Hirsch. 
The  Jewish  Colonization  Association.  Formation  of  the 
Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund.  The  Agricultural  and  Industrial 
Aid  Society 27 

B.  The  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities:  Membership  31 

C.  The  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith 33 

D.  National  Institutions  for  the  Care  of  Consumptives 34 

E.  National  Farm  School 35 

F.  The  Council  of  Jewish  Women 35 

G.  The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society  of 
America 35 

H.  The  Educational  League 35 

I.  The  National  Jewish  Immigration  Council 36 

J.  The  National  Union  of  Jewish  Sheltering  Societies 36 

K.  The  American  Jewish  Committee 36 

L.  The  Joint  Distribution  Committee 37 

Questions 37 

^  CHAPTER  V 

Methods   of   Fund    Raising    for    Jewish   Philanthropic 

Agencies 1^8 

A.  Direct  Begging 38 

B.  The  Pushka  Method 39 

C.  Charity  Taxes 40 

D.  Endowments 41 

E.  Charity  Socials 42 

F.  The  Federation  Idea:  Federation  Experiences.   Advantages 

of  Federation 43 

G.  The  Subscription  Method 49 

H.  Efficiency  Tests  for  Raising  Funds 49 

I.  Methods  of  Getting  Subscriptions:  The  Card  Catalogue. 

Circulars.      Personal    SoHcitation.      Arguments.      Special 
Help.    After  Numbers.    Special  Donations.    The  Spirit  of 

Rivalry 50 


CONTENTS  ri 

PAGE 

J,  State  and  Municipal  Subventions 53 

K.  Outside  Contributions 54 

L.  Collections  by  Mail 54 

M.  Publicity:  Reports.    Pocket  Editions.    The  Daily  Press. 

Moving  Pictures 54 

N.  Emergency  Funds 5^ 

Questions 58 

CHAPTER  VI 

Transients 59 

A.  The  Stranger  in  the  Past 59 

B.  The  Modern  Conception 60 

C.  The  Passing-On  Policy 61 

D.  The  Transportation  Rules 62 

E.  Extension  of  the  Transportation  Rules 63 

F.  Special  Decisions 64 

G.  New  Transportation  Rules  Adopted,  1916 68 

H.  Violations  of  the  Transportation  Rules  by  Outside  Agencies  70 

I.  Hachnosis  Orchim 71 

J.  Professionals 73 

K.  Temporary  Dependent  Transients 75 

L.  Sick  and  Defective 77 

M.  The  Tramp 79 

Questions 82 

CHAPTER  VII 

The  Immigration  Problem 8s 

A.  Early  Jewish  Immigration  to  the  United  States 84 

-■*1B.  Beginnings  of  Jewish  Charity  in  the  United  States 85 

C.  Early  Immigration 87 

D.  Immigration  of  1848 88 

E.  Polish  Immigration 89 

F.  Russian  Immigration 89 

G.  Immigration  Funds 91 

H.  Federal  Legislation 91 

I.  First  Aid  to  the  Immigrant 92 

J.  The  Exodus  from  Russia  and  Roumania 93 


3di  CONTENTS 

\ 

PAGE 

K.  Additional  Legislation 96 

L.  The  Immigration  Law  of  1907 98 

M.  The  Economic  Status  of  the  Jewish  Immigrant loi 

N.  Protection  of  the  Immigrant  at  the  Port  of  Entry 102 

0.  The  Anti-Restriction  Movement:  The  Immigration  Com- 
mission of  1907.  The  Jewish  Issue  Before  the  Commission. 
The  Burnett-Dillingham  Bill 107 

P.  The  Galveston  Movement iii 

Questions iii 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Distribution 113 

A.  The  Industrial  Removal  Ofl&ce 113 

B.  Co-operation 114 

C.  Local  Agencies 115 

D.  Classification 115 

E.  Methods 117 

F.  Reception  of  New-Comers 120 

G.  Relation  to  Relief  Agencies 1 20 

H.  Results  of  the  Industrial  Removal  Office  Work 121 

1.  The  Galveston  Movement 122 

Questions 123 

CHAPTER  IX 

The  Back  to  the  Soil  Movement 125 

A.  Early  Attempts 125 

B.  The  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society 127 

C.  The  Extent  of  Jewish  Farming 128 

D.  Recent  Efforts 129 

E.  Woodbine 130 

F.  The  Industrial  Settlement 131 

G.  Self-Government 132 

H.  The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricultural  School 133 

I.  The  National  Farm  School 134 

J.  General  Suggestions 135 

Questions 137 


\^Ui\  X  EjIS  i  C>  XUl 

CHAPTER  X 

PAGE 

Resident-Dependents 138 

A.  The  Sick 138 

B.  School  Hygiene 143 

C.  Defectives 144 

D.  Hospitals 145 

E.  Tuberculosis:  Home  Treatment.  After-Care  of  Consump- 
tives.   The  Cincinnati  Method 148 

F.  Insanity 155 

G.  Convalescents 156 

H.  Chronic  Invalids 157 

Questions 157 

CHAPTER  XI 

Dependent  Women  and  Children 159 

A.  Congregate  Systems 160 

B.  The  Placing-Out  System 160 

C.  The  Cottage  System 164 

D.  Self-Government 164 

E.  State  Subventions 165 

F.  Orthodox  Tendencies 165 

G.  Child-Caring  Methods 167 

H.  After-Care  of  Orphans 169 

I.  Day  Nurseries 169 

J.  Family  Desertion :   Family  Desertion  as  a  Problem.   Causes 

of  Desertion.    Promoting  Legislation.    PubUcity  as  an  Aid. 
Study  of  Desertion  in  New  York.    The  National  Desertion 

Bureau.    Methods  of  Treatment 171 

Questions 179 

CHAPTER  Xn 

Insufficiency  of  Income 181 

A.  Causes  of  Insufficiency  of  Income:  Inefficiency  of  the 
Breadwinner.  Training  in  Trades.  Self -Respect  Fund. 
Employment  Agencies 181 

B.  Establishment  in  Business 187 


xiv  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

C.  Self-Support  Funds 190 

D.  Temporary  Dependency 192 

Questions 195 

CHAPTER  Xin 

Standards  of  Relief 196 

A.  Different  Standards 199 

B.  Individual  Standards 202 

C.  Existing  Standards  of  Living 203 

D.  Standards  of  Relief 208 

Questions 209 

CHAPTER  XIV 

Educational  and  Social  Orgaotzations 211 

A.  The  Rise  of  Jewish  Social  Organizations:  Young  Men's 
Hebrew  Associations.  Religious  Educational  Agencies.  The 
Bureau  of  Education  of  the  Jewish  Community  of  New  York 
City 211 

B.  Sabbath  Schools:  Radical  National  Schools.     Religious 
Instruction  and  Social  Service  Agencies.    Religious  Services  219 
Questions 225 

CHAPTER  XV 

The  Education  of  Immigrants 226 

A.  The  Palace  of  Immigrants 227 

B.  Americanization 228 

C.  Ghetto  Forces 229 

D.  A  Change  of  Policy 230 

E.  David  Blaustein 231 

F.  New  Conceptions 233 

G.  Opposition 234 

H.  Program  of  the  Educational  Alliance 236 

I.  Experiences  in  Other  Cities 237 

J.  A  New  Departure 238 

K.  Neighborhood  Self-Activity 241 

L.  Technical  Education 241 

Questions 243 


CHAPTER  XVI 

PAGE 

Jewish  Settlements  and  Neighborhood  Work 244 

A.  The  Settlement  as  a  Social  Service  Agency:  Origin  of 
Social  Settlements.  Definition.  Residents  in  Settlements. 
Charity  in  Settlements.    The  Specific  Problem.    Difficulties 

in  Jewish  Settlements 245 

B.  Jewish  Activities  in  Settlement  Work:  Jews  of  Many 
Lands.  Children's  Clubs.  Jewish  Games.  Activities  for 
Adolescents.    Community  Forces 252 

C.  Religion  in  Settlements 264 

D.  Neglected  Neighborhoods 266 

E.  Jewish  Neighborhoods 268 

F.  The  Teaching  of  English 271 

G.  Employment 273 

H.  True  Americanization 276 

I.  Expansion  of  Activities 278 

J.  Children's  Work 280 

K.  Specialization 282 

L.  Politics  in  the  Settlement 284 

M.  Co-operation 288 

N.  Difficulties  of  a  Jewish  Settlement 289 

0.  Juvenile  Delinquency 289 

P.  Crime  Among  the  Jews 294 

Questions 294 

CHAPTER  XVII 

Organization  and  Administration 295 

A.  Leadership 295 

B.  The  Selection  of  Leaders 296 

C.  Persistency  in  Office  Holding 298 

D.  Quahfications  of  Leadership 299 

E.  The  Board  of  Directors 300 

F.  Meetings 301 

G.  The  Paid  Worker 302 

H.  Qualifications  of  a  Social  Worker 304 

1.  New  Positions 306 

J.  Difficulties  of  a  Social  Worker 308 


xvi  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

K.  Attitude  Towards  the  Board  of  Managers 310 

L.  The  Attitude  of  the  Social  Worker  to  the  Community.  ...  315 
Questions 317 

CHAPTER  XVni 

Volunteer  Service 318 

A.  Friendly  Visitors  as  Adjuncts  of  Relief  Societies 318 

B.  Modern  Conceptions  of  Lady  Visitors 320 

C.  The  Problems  of  Friendly  Visiting:  The  Health  of  the 
Poor.  Infant  Welfare.  Protection  of  the  Health  of  the 
Children  of  the  Poor.  Tuberculosis,  the  Scourge  of  the 
Poor.  Indiscriminate  Charity.  Proper  Housing.  Sufficient 
Feeding,  an  Index  to  Normal  Life.  Apportionment  of  Work 
Day.  Proper  Clothing.  The  Career  of  the  Children  of  the 
Poor.  The  Struggle  for  Existence.  Recreation  and  Amuse- 
ment   322 

D.  Settlement  Volunteer  Workers 331 

E.  The  Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  Movement 233 

F.  Education  of  Jewish  Social  Workers 335 

Questions 336 

CHAPTER  XIX 

Administration $37 

A.  Budget  Making 337 

B.  Analysis  of  Budgets 338 

C.  Applications  for  Rehef 342 

D.  Administration  Facilities 343 

E.  Inter\aewing  the  Applicant:  Granting  Relief.  Refusal  to 
Grant  Relief.    Investigation 344 

F.  Record  Keeping:    The  Record  Book.    Individual  Records. 

Filing  Records 350 

Questions 362 

CHAPTER  XX 

The  Federation  and  the  Synagogue 363 

A.  Philanthropic  Effort  in  the  Synagogue 363 

B.  Philanthropic  Effort  Taken  out  of  the  Synagogue 364 


PAGE 

C.  The  Effort  to  Unite  the  Synagogue  with  Charity  Endeavor  365 

D.  The  Federation  and  the  Synagogue 366 

E.  The  Scope  of  Social  Service  in  the  Synagogue 368 

F.  Plan  of  Action 372 

Questions 374 

BiBUOGRAPHY 375 

Index 383 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


JEWISH   PHILANTHROPY 


THE  EXTENT  AND  SCOPE  OF  JEWISH 
PHILANTHROPY 

A.  The  Problem  of  Modern  Philanthropy 
Ours  is  the  era  of  social  service.  Society  is  beginning 
to  realize  its  responsibility  for  the  care  of  those  who 
have  been  cast  out  of  the  human  mill.  The  question, 
now,  is  only  as  to  methods, — means  that  are  to  be 
adopted  toward  the  solution  of  this  perplexing  problem. 
The  growth  of  social  consciousness,  once  aroused,  has 
been  phenomenal.  Private  initiative  has  been  extended, 
first  to  municipal  agencies,  then  to  state  and  national 
enterprizes,  all  directed  toward  the  amelioration  of  the 
condition  of  the  poor  and  the  eradication  of  causes  pre- 
disposing to  poverty.  The  waste  of  society  is  being  re- 
duced to  a  minimum. 

B.  Reasons  for  Philanthropic  Agencies  Specif- 
ically Jewish 
In  the  midst  of  these  progressive  tendencies  on  the 
part  of  society  as  a  whole,  it  seems  but  natural  that 
there  should  arise  a  question  as  to  the  real  need  for  or- 
ganizations specifically  Jewish.  It  is  frequently  sug- 
gested that  the  same  purposes  served  by  Jewish  organ- 
izations may  be  achieved  through  existing  agencies 


2  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

catering  to  the  general  population.  In  this,  as  in  other 
perplexing  situations,  history  is  helpful.  Some  light 
may  be  shed  by  the  origin  of  the  different  Jewish  phil- 
anthropic organizations  in  the  United  States. 

I.  Sectarianism 

In  years  past,  when  Jewish  communities  were  small 
and  homogeneous  and  consisted  of  individuals  from  the 
Old  World,  steeped  in  an  atmosphere  of  which  Jewish 
charity  was  an  integral  part,  it  was  but  reasonable  that 
these  communities  should  embody  the  same  spirit  and 
organize  societies  to  help  their  own.  There  were, 
naturally,  few  Jewish  poor.  But  these  could  get  no 
help  save  from  their  brethren,  who,  in  their  religion, 
considered  this  their  duty.  The  first  Jewish  organiza- 
tions in  the  United  States  of  a  philanthropic  nature 
were  relief  societies.  These  were  connected  closely, 
sometimes  organically,  with  the  synagogue,  and  were 
sectarian  in  character.  At  that  time,  charitable  en- 
deavor, in  general,  followed  denominational  lines. 
Jewish  charities  were  no  exception.  Moreover,  the 
Jews  provided  for  their  own  poor  that  the  latter  should 
not  be  compelled  to  seek  assistance  from  sources 
sectarian  and  strange  to  their  own  beliefs.  The  fear  of 
proselytism  was  well  founded,  and  served  as  an  addi- 
tional impetus  for  philanthropic  effort  specifically  Jew- 
ish. As  early  as  1832,  the  first  Jewish  orphanage  was 
established  in  New  York  City,  and  the  reason  given  for 
its  organization  was  that  the  Jewish  community  felt  it 
its  duty  to  care  for  Jewish  orphans,  who  hitherto  had 


EXTENT  AND  SCOPE  3 

had  to  be  placed  in  non- Jewish,  sectarian  orphanages  at 
that  time  the  only  institutions  for  child-caring.  Later, 
the  same  underlying  principles  were  given  as  the  motive 
for  the  establishment  of  Jewish  hospitals.  These  rea- 
sons for  Jewish  institutions  have  lost  none  of  their 
potency  through  age,  and  still  exist. 

It  has  also  been  the  position  that  the  Jews  need 
special  institutions  because  they  need  Jewish  influence, 
and  Jewish  atmosphere :  The  Jew  must  not  be  allowed  to 
become  de-Judaized  but  rather  re-Judaized,  for  herein 
lies  the  hope  and  the  promise  of  maintaining  the  posi- 
tive characteristics  of  their  individuality, — the  guar- 
antee of  their  good  citizenship.^ 

Then  again,  the  ardent  adherent  of  orthodoxy  de- 
mands not  only  institutions  under  Jewish  auspices,  but 
also  institutions  that  observe  strictly  all  the  dietary  and 
other  laws  which  are  not  observed,  as  a  rule,  by  institu- 
tions supported  in  large  by  the  reformed  wing.  This  is 
the  great  motivator  of  new  and  frequently  duplicating 
Jewish  institutions,  hospitals,  orphan  asylums,  homes 
for  the  aged,  etc.,  that  are  springing  up  all  over  the 
country,  initiated  and  supported  by  the  newer  settlers 
from  Russia,  Roumania,  and  Austria-Hungary. 

2.  Promise  of  the  Jews — Never  to  Become  a  Burden  on 
the  General  Community 

As  a  general  proposition,  however,  Jewish  philan- 
thropy presented  a  limited  sphere  of  activity  up  to  the 

1  Dr.  David  Blaustein,  "  Proceedings  Fifth  National  Conference 
of  Jewish  Charities,"  Richmond,  Va.,  1908,  page  126. 


4  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

time  of  the  large  Jewish  immigration  from  Russia  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  eighties.  Then  the  demand  for  Jewish 
philanthropic  activity  suddenly  developed  enormously. 
It  was  unreasonable  to  expect  the  then  existing  phil- 
anthropic agencies,  though  quite  advanced  and  free 
from  sectarianism,  to  care  for  this  new  and  tremendous 
additional  burden.  The  Jews  did  not  forget  the  promise 
given  two  and  one-half  centuries  previously  to  Governor 
Stuyvesant  ever  to  care  for  their  poor  in  such  a  manner 
that  they  should  never  become  a  burden  upon  the  com- 
munity.^   American  Jews  have  fulfilled  their  pledge. 

But  that  argument  is  of  value  no  more.  The  Jews 
have  become  part  and  parcel  of  this  country;  they  share 
its  responsibilities  with  the  rest  of  the  citizenship  and 
are  entitled  to  the  same  privileges.  The  pride  of  the 
Jews  that  they  will  never  become  a  burden  on  the 
community  is  to-day  an  empty  phrase.  Notwithstand- 
ing all  the  generous  effort  of  private  philanthropy,  some 
of  the  burden  of  chronic  dependency  falls  upon  the 
state  and  the  municipality.  As  a  result  of  their  par- 
ticipation in  general  welfare  movements,  the  Jews  of 
this  country  recognize  to-day  their  right  to  avail  them- 
selves in  common  with  the  remainder  of  the  American 
population  of  the  general  forces  and  agencies  for  the 
amelioration  of  the  conditions  of  the  poor.  They  are 
entitled,  as  taxpayers  and  American  citizens,  to  the 
privileges  of  municipal  and  state  institutions.  As  con- 
tributors and  fellowmen,  they  need  not  decline  to  par- 

1  Judge  Julian  Mack,  "  Proceedings  Fourth  National  Conference  of 
Jewish  Charities,"  Philadelphia,  igo6,  page  25. 


EXTENT  AND  SCOPE  5 

ticipate  as  beneficiaries  of  the  different  private  en- 
deavors of  a  non-sectarian  character, — be  they  rehef 
agencies,  educational  movements,  or  social  activities. 
They  need  not  be  separatists  so  far  as  their  rights  and 
privileges  are  concerned. 

3.  Immigration 

The  argument  that  Jewish  philanthropy  deals  in  the 
main  with  recently  arrived  immigrants  is  weakening. 
There  can  be  little  doubt  that  Jewish  charity,  dealing 
in  the  main  with  foreigners,  aliens  in  speech  and  na- 
tionality, calls  for  special  agencies  to  deal  with  this 
peculiarity.  The  country  at  large,  however,  is  rapidly 
awakening  to  the  importance  of  this  problem.  It  is  a 
matter  of  but  a  short  time  when  ample  facilities  will 
be  provided  by  non-sectarian  agencies  for  handling  this 
situation  in  its  ramifications,  thus  obviating  the  neces- 
sity of  providing  private  institutions  to  meet  the  spe- 
cific demands  of  the  immigrant  Jew,  as  far  as  speech 
and  other  obvious  peculiarities  are  concerned.^ 

In  this  respect  Jewish  philanthropy  paved  the  way 
for  reform,  and  served  as  a  model  in  the  method  of 
immigrant  care,  education  and  Americanization,  a 
problem  which  is  not  alone  Jewish  in  character. 

4.  The  Specific  Problem 

Thus,  through  the  experience  of  a  short  time,  dif- 
ferent causes  and  reasons  have  been  assigned  in  ex- 

*  Professor  J.  H.  Hollander,  President's  Address,  "  Proceedings 
National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,"  St.  Louis,  1910. 


6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

planation  of  the  existence  of  Jewish  philanthropy.  The 
apologetic  attitude  is  rather  typical.  The  tie  that  con- 
nects the  Jews  is  not  due  to  a  formula  of  practical 
reasoning.  It  Hes  deep  in  the  emotional  nature  of 
humanity  which  is  responsible  for  the  intense  feeling 
for  kith  and  kin. 

There  is  no  need  for  analyzing  the  external  motives 
of  Jewish  philanthropy,  nor  is  there  any  reason  for 
apologizing  for  the  brotherly  attitude  toward  the  needy. 
Jewish  philanthropy,  as  such,  is  growing  and  extending 
in  every  direction.  The  old  agencies  enlarge  and  in- 
tensify their  activities,  and  are  constantly  supplemented 
by  new  organizations  and  institutions  called  into  ex- 
istence throughout  the  country.  This  phenomenal 
growth  of  Jewish  philanthropy  indicates  the  demand 
along  these  lines,  and  points  to  valid  reasons  why  Jew- 
ish activities  should  be  directed  through  specifically 
Jewish  agencies.  The  problem  of  Jewish  dependency 
is  unique.  Jewish  poverty  does  not  carry  with  it  the 
burden  of  heredity,  and  is  not  characterized  by  a  down- 
ward tendency,  repellent  of  reclaiming  influences. 
Though  poor  and  economically  disabled,  the  Jews  never 
before  constituted  the  lowest  strata  of  society,  nor  were 
they  the  inhabitants  of  the  slum  districts  of  their  native 
cities.  Their  difficulties  were  due  to  external  condi- 
tions, which  did  not,  however,  succeed  in  crushing  the 
spirit  of  mental  and  moral  integrity  dominant  through- 
out the  ages.  Nay,  possibly  the  very  disadvantages  of 
the  Jews  in  fighting  for  the  rights  of  existence  were 
responsible  for  the  strengthening  of  their  inner  powers 


EXTENT  AND  SCOPE  7 

that  express  themselves  in  the  indomitable  aspiration 
for  higher  ideals  of  achievement.  If  this  assumption 
be  correct,  it  follows  that  philanthropic  effort  among 
the  Jews  is  capable  of  better  results  than  are  to  be  looked 
for  in  the  general  field  of  charitable  endeavor.  Neglect 
in  this  respect  cannot  fail  to  create  a  new  strata  among 
the  Jews,  unreclaimable,  and  presenting  a  permanent 
waste  to  society.  The  responsibility  for  such  a  situa- 
tion would  rest  directly  on  American  Jewry.  In  other 
words,  we  are  dealing  with  the  prevention  of  the  slum, 
rather  than  with  the  reclamation  of  a  slum  inherited 
from  former  generations.  The  problem  is  both  mani- 
fold and  difficult.  Spasmodic  effort  and  the  mere  treat- 
ment of  symptoms  by  establishing  relief  agencies,  in- 
stitutions, and  so  forth,  cannot  be  considered  a  wise 
method.  Jews  are  entitled  to  have  their  own  organiza- 
tions to  meet  situations  which  would  otherwise  escape 
proper  consideration — ^provided  that  such  institutions 
cover  a  field  untouched  by  general  organizations.  The 
right  is  also  conceded  to  the  Jews  to  separate  agencies  if 
these  agencies  cover  the  field  more  efficiently. 

C.  The  Extent  of  Jewish  Philanthropy 

The  extent  and  scope  of  Jewish  philanthropy  is 
rapidly  growing,  and  is  assuming  quite  important 
dimensions.  An  investigation  made  in  1909,  of  this 
particular  phase  of  the  subject,  shows  that  there  were 
then  1,191  separate  and  distinct  Jewish  organizations, — 
not  including  mutual  benefit  societies,  cemeteries,  burial 
societies,   trade  unions,   Zionists,   Territorialists,  and 


8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

other  organizations  doing  work  of  an  international 
character.  The  character  of  the  1,191  organizations 
was  as  follows: 

National  organizations 7 

Relief  societies,  including  federated  charities,  relief  socie- 
ties, proper  sewing  societies,  etc 809 

Institutions,    including    hospitals,    dispensaries,    orphan 

asylums,  convalescent  homes,  sanitaria,  nurseries,  etc.    148 
Educational  institutions,  including  institutes,  settlements, 

trade  schools,  etc 227 

Grand  total 1,191 

Reports  of  annual  disbursements  were  received  from 
only  four  hundred  and  eighty-nine  organizations, 
These  show  total  expenditures  in  round  numbers,  of 
approximately  four  million,  seven  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine  thousand  dollars  ($4,779,000).  The  membership  of 
four  hundred  and  sixty-two  organizations,  was  three 
hundred  and  thirty- two  thousand  dollars  ($3 3 2, 000). ^ 
Without  going  into  further  detail,  it  is  patent  that  the 
amount  of  money  spent  by  the  Jews  in  the  United 
States  for  philanthropic  purposes  and  the  number  of 
persons  interested  in  the  field  of  endeavor,  as  indicated 
by  the  total  membership  of  the  different  organizations, 
are  sufficient  to  demand  serious  consideration.  The 
figures  cited  refer  to  about  one-half  the  organizations, 
and  since  this  investigation,  there  has  been  both  an 
intensive  and  an  extensive  expansion  of  Jewish  organi- 
zations. The  American  Jewish  Year  Book  registers  for 
the  period  1909-1915,  eight  hundred  and  nine  addi- 
1 "  Extent  of  Jewish  Philanthropy  in  the  United  States."  Mono- 
graph, Boris  D.  Bogen,  1909. 


EXTENT  AND  SCOPE  9 

tional  philanthropic  agencies,  making  a  grand  total  of 
about  two  thousand. 

A  conservative  estimate,  therefore,  of  the  total 
amount  spent  by  Jewish  philanthropic  agencies  in  the 
United  States  would  be  ten  milHon  dollars  ($10,000,000). 
Estimating  the  Jewish  population  in  the  United  States 
at  about  two  million,  and  presuming  that  two  per  cent 
are  dependent,  we  get  forty  thousand  Jewish  dependents 
in  this  country,  whose  maintenance  would  cost,  at  two 
hundred  dollars  per  capita  per  annum,  about  eight 
million  dollars.  In  the  experience  of  philanthropic 
effort  it  requires  at  least  one  paid  worker  for  the  dis- 
tribution of  each  thousand  dollars,  or  eight  thousand 
workers  to  administer  to  the  dependent  Jews.  Of  each 
four  employes,  one  should  be  necessarily  a  professional, 
hence  the  number  of  persons  requiring  professional  pro- 
ficiency in  dealing  with  the  problem  of  Jewish  depend- 
ency can  be  conservatively  estimated  as  two  thousand. 

Chapter  One.   The  Extent  and  Scope  of  Jewish 
Philanthropy 

Questions 

1.  What  is  the  problem  of  modern  Philanthropy? 

2.  What  are  the  reasons  given  for  philanthropic  agencies 
specifically  Jewish? 

3.  What  is  the  specific  problem  of  Jewish  philanthropy? 

4.  Under  what  conditions  are  philanthropic  efforts  specifically 
Jewish  legitimate? 

5.  What  is  the  estimated  number  of  Jewish  philanthropic 
organizations  in  the  United  States? 

6.  What  is  estimated  to  be  their  total  budget? 


II 

DEPENDENCY  AMONG  JEWS 

A.  Basic  Principles  and  Specific  Causes 

The  tendency  of  modern  philanthropy  is  toward  the 
elimination  of  the  causes  predisposing  to  dependency, 
rather  than  toward  palliative  measures  affecting  the 
symptoms  of  distress  alone.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  broad  basic  principles  underlying  the  phenom- 
ena of  poverty  and  misery  in  general  are  applicable  to 
dependency  among  Jews.  Economic  maladjustment, 
ignorance,  political  disability  and  exploitation  of  labor 
produce  inevitable  results,  irrespective  of  race,  creed,  or 
color.  At  the  same  time,  there  are,  in  the  case  of 
dependency  among  the  Jews,  special  causes, — in  addi- 
tion to  the  basic  reasons, — specific  reasons  deserving 
serious  consideration,  which  may,  perchance,  suggest 
different  treatment  and  unique  measures. 

B.  Temporary  Dependency  Due  to  Immigration 

The  awakening  of  philanthropy  on  a  large  scale, 
among  Jews  in  the  United  States  as  has  been  shown, 
dates  from  the  mass  immigration, — almost  an  exodus, — 
from  Russia  in  the  eighties.  In  those  days  the  under- 
lying cause  of  dependency, — the  reason  for  philan- 
thropic effort  among  the  Jews, — was  immigration. 
The  immigrant  was  the  problem,  and  the  measures 


DEPENDENCY  AMONG  JEWS  il 

applied  were  mainly  such  that  might  Americanize  the 
newcomer  and  help  him  to  withstand  the  hardships  of 
the  period  of  adjustment  and  adaptation.  The  large 
majority  of  the  immigrant  Jews  coming  to  this  country 
were  not  dependent  upon  charity  in  their  native  land. 
The  existent  poverty  among  the  Jews  in  Russia  could  be 
easily  explained  by  the  political  and  economic  restric- 
tions under  which  they  lived.  Even  in  the  case  of  the 
dependent,  the  Jews  did  not  represent  the  lowest 
strata  in  Russia.  (Poor  as  the  Jews  are  there,  there  is 
little  pauperism  among  them.  More  important, 
throughout  these  centuries  they  have  succeeded  in 
maintaining  their  family  ties,  the  sanctity  of  their 
homes.)  It  seemed  reasonable  to  presume  that  in  this 
country  of  equal  and  untold  opportunities,  equal 
political,  economic,  and  social  rights,  the  Jewish  immi- 
grants, as  soon  as  they  had  adjusted  themselves  to  their 
new  environment,  would  gain  their  independence  and 
would  present  no  problem  as  far  as  charitable  effort  is 
concerned.  Jewish  philanthropy,  during  this  period, 
limited  itself  to  giving  "first  aid  to  the  immigrant." 
Conditions,  however,  have  changed.  The  reports  of 
various  charitable  organizations  show  that  the  number 
of  people  applying  for  relief  who  have  been  in  this 
country  less  than  three  months  is  negligible.  ^  It  seems 
that  it  takes  from  two  to  five  years  before  the  strength 
of  the  immigrant  peters  out,  when  he  and  his  family 
become  dependent  upon  charity.    Thus,  the  problem  of 

1  "Report  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities,"  New  York,  191 2; 
"Report  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities,"  Chicago,  1914. 


12  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

aiding  the  immigrant  is  fast  losing  its  commanding 
position.  The  majority  of  immigrants  now  come  to 
join  relatives  or  friends,  and  under  ordinary  conditions 
do  not  apply  for  assistance  to  organized  charity.  The 
difficulty  comes  later,  when  the  cause  of  dependency  is 
deeper  rooted,  and  when  temporary  and  inadequate 
relief  does  not  offer  a  solution.  Thus,  in  this  particular 
instance,  we  deal  with  a  dependency  of  a  comparatively 
recent  origin, — a  dependency  caused  by  conditions 
under  which  the  immigrant  Jew  lives  for  the  l&rst  few 
years  in  his  adopted  country. 

C.  Chronic  Dependency  of  Recent  Origin 
I.  Resistance  Power 
While  in  many  instances  the  inherent  physical  dis- 
abilities of  the  Jews  may  be  responsible  for  their  break- 
down, there  is,  on  the  other  hand,  considerable  resistance 
which  is  not  met  with  in  the  non- Jewish  popula- 
tion. Thus,  there  is  practically  speaking  no  intem- 
perance, no  shiftlessness;  on  the  contrary,  there  exists 
an  unconquerable  ambition,  an  untiring  energy,  and  an 
entire  absence  of  that  indifference  to  one's  condition 
which  Karl  Marx  has  so  aptly  styled  "Verdamte 
Bediirfnislosigkeit."  This  is  true  with  respect  to  the 
recently  arrived,  but  unfortunately  not  altogether  cor- 
rect as  concerns  those  who  have  been  in  this  country  for 
a  certain  length  of  time,  nor  is  it  true  with  respect  to  the 
second  generation.  One  need  not  be  a  close  observer  of 
society  to  notice  that  the  main  strength  of  the  Jewish 
immigrant  lies  in  his  home.    And  so  long  as  home  ties 


DEPENDENCY  AMONG  JEWS  13 

are  retained,  so  long  as  the  family  is  the  unit  and  the 
center  of  care  and  consideration,  just  so  long  will  the 
centrifugal  forces  of  modern  society,  which  destroy  the 
individual  and  produce  the  terrible  effects  of  poverty, 
meet  with  a  resistance  that  in  most  cases  results  in 
immunity  from  degeneration.  This  explains  why  in 
the  majority  of  cases  the  immigrant  Jew  outlives  his 
experience  of  readjustment,  and  escapes  the  permanent 
effects  of  his  first  struggle  for  existence.  He  soon  moves 
from  the  so-called  neglected  neighborhood,  and  joins 
the  normal  groups  found  in  American  society. 

2.  Formation  of  Permanent  Slum  Conditions 

Extensive  as  is  this  immunity  from  deteriorating  and 
devitalizing  influences,  all  too  many  succumb  and  fall 
by  the  wayside.  The  very  character  and  extent  of  this 
negative  phenomenon  of  Jewish  life  is  new  and  there- 
fore doubly  discouraging.  We  deal  with  the  effects 
of  a  formative  process,  we  witness  the  disintegration 
of  the  social  group,  a  disintegration  that  has  just  be- 
gun. The  problem  is  quite  different  from  that  of  the 
general  situation  where  individuals  are  burdened  with 
hereditary  traits  which  weaken  the  initiative  for  higher 
and  better  life  and  where  the  conditions  productive  of 
misery  originated  generations  before. 

If  the  Jewish  Ghetto  is  to  remain  permanent;  and  if 
from  a  temporary  abode  of  inmiigrants,  with  its  pathos 
picturesque  and  sympathetic  features  is  to  change  into  a 
permanent  breeding  place  for  the  terrible  human  can- 
cer, the  slum,  with  all  its  concomitant,  frightful  at- 


14  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tributes, — delinquency,  degeneracy,  and  irresponsibil- 
ity,— then  the  blame  is  upon  the  present  generation. 
For  in  that  instance  we  permit  the  condition  to  foment 
without  grappling  with  the  problem  in  a  sufficiently 
forceful  and  energetic  spirit. 

3.  The  Necessity  for  Jewish  Agencies 

Should  this  prove  to  be  the  case,  it  is  proper  to  as- 
sume that  besides  lessening  or  eradicating  the  negative 
conditions  in  neglected  neighborhoods,  we  must  utilize, 
develop  and  strengthen  those  features  of  Jewish  life 
which  have  enabled  the  Jew  to  withstand  persecution 
and  hardships  within  the  narrow  confines  of  the  Euro- 
pean Ghetto;  and  who  is  more  qualified  to  undertake 
this  work  than  the  Jew  himself?  Only  a  Jew,  who  is 
stirred  by  a  feeling  of  powerful  self-consciousness  can 
hope  to  cope  with  a  problem  so  novel  and  unique.  Ap- 
preciating fully  the  advisability  and  desirability  of  so- 
cial intercourse  between  Jews  and  the  general  popula- 
tion, the  question  is  much  discussed  whether,  in  this 
stage  of  readjustment,  care  should  not  be  taken  that  the 
Jew  should  not  fall  to  the  level  of  the  other  inhabitants 
of  neglected  neighborhoods  and  thus  fail  of  ultimate 
rehabilitation.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  the  treatment 
of  the  Jewish  problem  of  dependency  presents  a  specific 
character  and  necessitates  separate  and  specific  meas- 
ures. 

"I  sometimes  think,"  said  President  J.  H.  Hollander 
at  the  Sixth  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities  in 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  "that  'das  jtidische  Herz'  is  not  a  thing 


DEPENDENCY  AMONG  JEWS  15 

of  the  heart  but  of  the  head,  less  of  a  warmer  pity  for 
need  than  the  outcome  of  a  clearer  conception  of  how 
that  need  had  arisen.  This,  then,  is  the  essential  need  for 
a  distinct  ministration  of  social  relief  to  Jews  by  Jews, 
and  the  prime  warrant  for  an  independent  study  of  the 
problem  in  all  its  phases  by  those  who  are  immediately 
concerned  therewith.  It  is  only  a  more  complete 
carrying  out  of  that  rational  tendency  that  has  brought 
us  to  where  we  are  now,  full  determination  of  the  causes 
of  distress  and  application  of  the  more  appropriate 
remedies  by  the  most  efi&cient  agents.  Since  it  is  only 
the  Jew,  who  by  virtue  of  a  subtle  'Gefiihl,'  historic 
identity,  race  consciousness,  or  religious  brotherhood, 
can  become  cognizant  of  the  special  circumstances  which 
have  contributed  to  Jewish  dependency,  it  is  therefore 
primarily  the  Jew  who  should  assume  the  problem  of 
Jewish  relief  and  in  anticipation  of  his  responsibility, 
should  deliberate  as  to  his  procedure."  * 

Chapter  Two.    Dependency  Among  Jews 
Questions 

1.  What  is  the  relation  of  Jewish  dependency  to  the  general 
problem  of  poverty  with  respect  to  basic  principles? 

2.  To  what  extent  is  Jewish  dependency  caused  by  immigra- 
tion? 

3.  Wherein  does  the  resistance  power  of  the  Jews  lie? 

4.  What    are    the    characteristic    differences    between    the 
Ghetto  and  the  slum? 

5.  Wherein  lies  the  danger  of  neglecting  the  problem  of 
Jewish  dependency? 

ij.   H.   Hollander,   Presidential   Address,   Sixth  National  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  1910. 


ni 

CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS 

In  our  complicated  social  order,  system,  organiza- 
tion, and  efficiency  are  imperative  in  every  line  of 
himian  endeavor.  Philanthropic  effort  is  no  exception 
to  this  rule.  A  glance  at  the  history  of  Jewish  charity 
shows  that,  owing  to  the  Mosaic  law  and  its  apphcation 
to  the  social  conditions  prevailing  in  the  different  lands 
and  times,  the  Jewish  people  succeeded  at  an  early 
period  in  attaining  a  remarkably  high  degree  of  organi- 
zation. Indeed,  they  are  generally  recognized  as  the 
forerunners  of  modem  methods  of  philanthropy,  espe- 
cially in  regard  to  outdoor  relief,  while  the  poor  laws  in 
the  various  states  and  communities  of  Christendom  and 
Islam  have  been  taken  over  directly  from  Jewish  legis- 
lation and  practice. 

A.  Charity  Based  on  Justice 

Charity  and  benevolence  are,  of  course,  general  traits 
of  humanity,  responsive  to  the  call  of  sympathy  with 
the  suffering  and  helpless.  Instances  of  these  are 
found  among  all  the  nations  of  antiquity.  Egyptian 
tombstones  extol  such  virtues.  To  alleviate  the  pains 
and  miseries  of  human  life  was  the  great  monition 
offered  by  Buddha  to  his  million  of  followers,  to  whom 
belongs  the  credit  of  having  been  the  first  to  erect 

z6 


CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS  17 

hospitals  for  the  sick.  So  have  Athens  and  Rome  given 
to  the  world  illustrious  examples  of  glorious  donations  of 
great  wealth  for  distribution  among  the  indigent  and 
starving  masses.  But  it  was  the  Jewish  law  that  made 
Charity  an  obligation,  and  the  consequence  was  that 
Charity  and  Justice  became  synonymous,  the  term 
Zedakah  came  to  indicate  both,  since  Charity  was 
based  upon  the  principles  of  Justice,  /it  enjoined  the 
duty  incumbent  upon  men  of  mean^  to  provide  ad- 
equately for  those  in  want.  Whatever  the  origin  of  the 
practice  of  leaving  the  comers  of  the  field,  the  gleanings 
of  the  harvest,  and  the  forgotten  sheaf,  to  the  poor,  the 
stranger,  the  fatherless,  and  the  widow  may  have 
been  in  a  more  primitive  life,  the  Mosaic  legislation 
withholds  the  right  of  proprietorship  on  these  from  the 
owner  of  the  field  and  assigns  it  to  the  poor,  at  least  in  a 
moral  sense.  So  also  in  regard  to  the  growth  of  the 
seventh  year  and  the  tithes  of  the  produce  of  each 
third  year.  (Lev.  xix,  9-10;  xxiii,  22 ;  Deut.  xxiv,  19-21 ; 
Ex.  xxiii,  11;  Lev.  xxv,  23;  Deut.  xiv,  22-29.)  Be- 
sides these,  there  are  many  other  provisions  made  for 
the  needy.  (Ex.  xxii,  25-27;  Deut.  xv,  7-11;  xvi,  11- 
14.)  Instead  of  leaving  it  to  personal  and  tempo- 
rary impulses  to  come  to  the  aid  of  the  poor  and 
homeless,  the  Jewish  law  made  it  the  general  rule  to 
offer  them  support  and  shelter  and  assessed  the  rich  for 
the  benefit  of  the  poor.  So  does  the  prophet  declare 
it  to  be  God's  demand  "  to  deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry 
and  to  bring  the  poor  that  are  afflicted  to  thy  house; 
when  thou  seest  the  naked  that  thou  cover  him,  and 


i8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thine  own  flesh." 
(Isai.  Iviii,  7.)  Typifying  the  ideal  man,  Job  is  repre- 
sented saying,  "I  was  eyes  to  the  bhnd  and  feet  to  the 
lame,  I  was  a  father  to  the  poor,  and  the  case  of  litiga- 
tion I  knew  not,  I  searched  out  for  them."  (Job  xxix, 
15-16;  cf.  xxxi,  16-22.) 

Upon  the  basis  of  the  holy  Scriptures,  then,  the 
Jewish  sages  laid  down  as  the  leading  principles  of 
charity  on  the  part  of  the  individual  the  duty  of  the 
more  fortunate  to  take  care  of  the  less  fortunate,  and 
on  the  part  of  the  representatives  of  the  community  the 
responsibility  for  the  material  and  moral  welfare  of 
those  dependent  upon  the  help  of  others.  (Sifre  to 
Deut.  XV,  7-1 1 ;  xxi,  7.) 

B.  Systematic  Relief 

Organized  charity  was  one  of  the  principal  institu- 
tions of  the  synagogue,  at  an  early  age.  Besides  reli- 
gious instruction  and  regular  forms  of  worship,  practical 
benevolence  constituted,  according  to  Simon  the  Just, 
one  of  the  Men  of  the  Great  Synagogue  in  the  Third 
pre-Christian  century,  one  of  the  pillars  of  human 
society.  There  are  seven  branches  of  charity  spe- 
cialized in  the  older  Jewish  sources;  i,  to  feed  the  hun- 
gry and  give  drink  to  the  thirsty;  2,  to  clothe  the 
naked;  3,  to  visit  the  sick;  4,  to  bury  the  dead  and 
comfort  the  mourners;  5,  to  ransom  the  captives;  6,  to 
educate  the  fatherless  and  shelter  the  homeless;  7,  to 
provide  poor  maidens  with  dowries.  The  pious  ones 
in  each  city,  the  class  called  Hasidim  (Essenes),  divided 


CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS  19 

themselves  into  special  groups  for  the  performance  of 
these  dififerent  practices  which  they  claimed  to  have 
come  down  from  Abraham  and  Melchizedek,  and  which 
they  ascribed  even  to  God  as  the  pattern  of  such  acts  of 
kindness  to  man.  It  is  to  these  very  practices  that  the 
passage  in  Matt,  xxv,  35-39,  alludes,  when  the  Son 
of  Man,  that  is,  the  Messiah,  as  the  Judge  of  the 
souls,  is  represented  as  saying  to  the  righteous  on  the 
great  judgment  day,  "I  was  a  hungered  and  ye  gave 
me  meat:  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink:  I  was  a 
stranger  and  ye  took  me  in :  Naked  and  ye  clothed  me : 
I  was  sick  and  ye  visited  me:  I  was  in  prison,  and  ye 
came  unto  (ransomed)  me."  And  when  the  righteous 
ask,  "When  saw  we  thee  a  hungered,  and  fed  thee?  or 
thirsty  and  gave  thee  drink?"  and  so  forth,  the  King 
answers,  "Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye 
have  done  it  unto  me  "  and  so  forth.  The  whole  passage 
seems  to  have  been  taken  over  from  an  ancient  Hasidic 
or  Essenic  source,  and  has  its  exact  parallel  in  the 
Midrash  to  Psalm  cxviii,  19,  where  King  David  has 
taken  the  place  of  the  Messiah.  "What  you  do  unto 
the  poor  you  do  unto  Me"  is  also  said  by  God  in  the 
Midrash  (Agad  Shir,  ha  Shir.  ed.  Schechter,  p.  27). 
The  Essenes  had,  furthermore,  in  every  town,  probably 
connected  with  the  Synagogue,  a  treasury  in  the  so- 
called  "Chamber  of  the  Reticent"  to  enable  the  poor 
of  worthy  families  to  obtain  the  means  of  support  in 
secret.  (Tos.  Shekalim  ii,  16.)  Far,  then,  from  being 
the  originator  of  organized  charity,  as  is  generally 


20  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

claimed,  the  Church  took  the  whole  system  of  relief 
from  the  Synagogue,  and  particularly  from  the  class  of 
the  pious  Hasidim  or  Essenes,  who  made  of  the  charity 
work  a  life  practice.  It  is  of  special  interest  in  this 
connection  to  notice  that,  when  St.  Jerome  had  induced 
Fabiola,  the  wealthy  Roman  matron,  to  erect  the  first 
hospital  for  sick  persons  in  Rome  and  another  for 
strangers  in  Ostia,  he  greatly  lauded  her  for  "having 
transplanted  a  branch  of  the  terebinth  of  Abraham  to 
the  Ausonian  shore,"  thereby  admitting  that  she  simply 
followed  the  Jewish  example  of  having  the  institution  of 
a  hospice  for  strangers,  the  origin  of  which  was  ascribed 
to  the  patriarch  who  used  the  terebinth  at  Beersheba, 
or  the  large  oak  tree  at  Hebron  (see  Targ.  and  Midrash 
to  Gen.  xxi;  Sota  lo''*')  for  the  reception  of  passers-by. 

The  collection  and  distribution  of  the  charity  fund 
was  given  in  charge  of  the  most  prominent  and  most 
trustworthy  men  of  the  community,  so  that  it  was  made 
a  rule  in  very  ancient  times  that  he  whose  fathers  be- 
longed to  the  administrators  of  charity  was  qualified  to 
marry  into  priestly  families  without  further  enquiry  as 
to  his  pure  descent.  (Mishnah  Kid.  iv,  5.)  We  ac- 
cordingly learn  from  Josephus  (Ant.  xx,  2,  5),  that 
when,  during  a  great  famine,  Queen  Helena  of  Adiabene 
bought  shiploads  of  wheat  and  figs  and  her  son  Izates 
sent  large  sums  of  money  to  aid  the  starving,  these  were 
handed  "to  the  foremost  men  of  Jerusalem  for  dis- 
tribution, among  the  people." 

The  following  system  of  relief  prevailed  in  Palestine 
during  the  Mishnaic  times.     Each  community  had  a 


CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS  21 

charity  box  (called  Area  by  the  Roman  church),  con- 
taining the  funds  for  the  support  of  the  indigent  towns- 
men, who  received  every  Friday  for  the  fourteen  meals 
of  the  week,  as  well  as  for  clothing,  while  the  transient 
poor  received  only  as  much  as  was  needed  for  the  day, 
and  on  Sabbath  eve  for  three  meals.  Besides  this,  there 
was  what  we  may  call  a  soup  kitchen,  a  charity  bowl, 
which  contained  victuals  needed  for  immediate  relief. 
The  charity  fund  was  in  charge  of  three  trustees,  who 
decided  on  the  merits  of  the  applicants,  the  former 
social  station  and  the  parentage  being  especially  con- 
sidered. Beggars  who  went  from  door  to  door  received 
nothing,  or  at  best  a  pittance.  Two  men  of  the  highest 
respectability  were  sent  forth  to  collect  the  funds,  and 
were  empowered  to  tax  the  individuals  in  the  com- 
munity and  to  seize  their  property  until  the  demanded 
sum  was  forthcoming.  These  collections  were  made 
weekly,  by  the  two  officers  who  were  not  allowed  to 
separate  while  collecting  or  holding  the  money,  in  order 
to  avoid  all  suspicion. 

C.  Principles  of  Relief 

While  almsgiving  had  become  a  passion  with  many, 
especially  among  the  class  of  the  pious,  of  Essenes,  who 
made  it  their  practice  "to  sell  all  and  give  it  to  the 
poor"  (Pes.  57  a;  Arak:  IV,  2,  4;  B.  B.  133  b;  cf.  Mat- 
thew xix,  21,  and  Acts  iv,  34),  the  rabbis  at  the  synod 
of  Usha  in  the  second  century  established  a  rule  that 
"no  one  should  give  away  more  than  one-fifth  of  his 
fortune."    (Ket.  50,  Tos.  Arak:  iv,  23.)    Each  person 


22  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

should  be  considered  from  the  point  of  view  of  his 
former  social  position  if  he  is  in  reduced  circumstances. 
(Sifre  to  Deut.  xv,  8;  Ket.  67b.)  All  secrecy  should  be 
maintained  in  order  not  to  offend  the  recipient  of 
charity.  (Ket  1.  c.)  "To  help  the  poor  by  lending  him 
money  or  otherwise  facilitating  his  mode  of  support  is 
more  meritorious  than  to  give  him  alms,"  says  the 
Talmud.  (Shab.  63'';  cf.  Lev.  R.  xxiv.)  The  leading 
maxim  is  that  the  poor  should  never  be  put  to  shame  by 
receiving  charity.  (Hag.  5^^.)  No  city  is  worth  living 
in  we  are  told,  which  has  not  a  charity  box,  that  is,  a 
systematic  relief  instituted  for  the  poor.  (Sanh.  17^.) 
Indeed,  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  emperor  Julian, 
(Epist.  XXX,  49),  that  there  was  no  beggar  found 
among  the  Jews  of  his  time.  It  is  expressly  stated  in 
the  Midrash,  that  the  non- Jewish  poor  of  a  city  may, 
for  the  sake  of  maintaining  peace  and  good  will  among 
the  inhabitants,  also  receive  support  from  the  Jewish 
charity  fund.  (Tos.  Gittin  V,  4;  Gittin  61''.)  Inas- 
much as  charity  partook  of  the  nature  of  sacrifice,  for 
which  nothing  that  is  abominable  in  the  eyes  of  God 
may  be  used,  it  was  made  the  rule  not  to  accept  gifts  for 
the  charity  fund  from  men  who  were  supposed  to  live 
on  ill  gotten  gains.    (Tos.B.  K.  XI,  9.) 

Summing  up  the  Talmudic  rules,  Maimonides,  in  his 
code,  enumerates  eight  different  grades  of  donors. 
(Mattenoth  'Aniyyim  X,  7-13.) 

I.  He  who  aids  the  poor  to  support  himself  by  ad- 
vancing him  funds  or  by  helping  him  to  some  lucrative 
occupation. 


CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS  23 

2.  He  who  gives  charity  without  knowing  who  is  the 
recipient,  and  without  the  recipient  knowing  who  is  the 
donor. 

3.  He  who  gives  in  secret,  casting  his  money  into  the 
houses  of  the  poor,  who  remain  ignorant  as  to  the 
identity  of  their  benefactor. 

4.  He  who  gives  without  knowing  the  recipient, 
whereas  the  recipient  knows  the  giver. 

5.  He  who  gives  before  he  is  asked. 

6.  He  who  gives  after  he  is  asked. 

7.  He  who  gives  inadequately,  but  with  good  grace. 

8.  He  who  gives  with  bad  grace. 

fJ^'         D.  Jewish  Charity  in  the  Middle  Ages 

The  various  branches  of  charity  mentioned  in  the 
Talmudic  sources  continued  in  practice  during  the 
middle  ages  under  modified  conditions.  Especial  atten- 
tion was  given  to  the  raising  of  orphans,  which  is  also 
in  the  Midrash  extolled  as  the  highest  form  of  charity 
(Tanh.  Ki  Tira,  116),  but  it  was  considered  rather  as  a 
privilege  of  the  wealthy  than  mere  charity  to  become 
foster  parents  for  destitute  orphan  children.  Similarly 
was  the  provision  for  dowries  for  poor  girls,  especially 
orphan  girls,  for  a  long  time  a  matter  of  individual 
generosity. 

As  the  number  of  poor  travelers  increased,  owing  to 
the  many  expulsions  of  the  Jews,  in  the  various  lands, 
different  methods  of  relief  came  into  use.  Besides  the 
food  distribution  which  concerned  chiefly  the  resident 
poor,  there  were  first  the  rich  men  in  each  town  who. 


24  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

following  the  example  of  Abraham  and  of  Hana  bar 
Hanilai,  in  Babylonia  (Ber  58b;  cf.  Testament  of  Job 
iii,  11),  extended  the  hospitality  of  their  homes  to  the 
homeless  poor,  called  already  in  Mishnaic  times  char- 
acteristically "Guests."  Then  arose  as  a  general  rule 
in  each  town  a  Travelers'  Inn,  called  by  the  Christian 
people  of  Spain  and  France  the  Jews'  Inn  for  the 
lodging  and  feeding  the  poor  and  the  sick  by  way  of 
revival  of  the  ancient  hospice.  Finally,  the  increasing 
needs  called  the  different  charitable  societies  into  ex- 
istence, in  the  course  of  time,  which  were  to  attend  to 
the  various  branches  of  reUef  in  response  to  the  great 
demands  of  the  community.  For  general  relief,  the 
funds  were  raised  in  each  congregation  by  the  assess- 
ment of  its  members,  in  accordance  with  their  means,  by 
officials  appointed  as  charity  directors.  The  collections 
were  made  either  weekly  or  monthly,  or  three  times  a 
year.  The  assessors  were  empowered  to  tax  each  mem- 
ber according  to  their  capacity  to  give,  and  in  case  of  a 
refusal,  to  seize  the  amount  fixed  for  him.  Besides  these 
regular  assessments,  voluntary  contributions  were  made 
on  occasions  of  joy  or  on  anniversaries  of  death,  and 
the  like.  Such  donations  were  given  in  the  form  of 
vows,  made  publicly  in  the  synagogue,  a  practice  found 
as  early  as  the  Mishnaic  times  (Tos.Ter.  i,  10;  Shabb 
xvii,  22),  and  at  festal  banquets. 

The  average  Jew  was  expected  to  give  one-tenth  of 
his  income  to  charity  (Ket.  50*;  Yer.  Peah  l,7S^',  Maim. 
1.  c.  vii,  5),  and  the  rabbis  of  the  middle  ages  en- 
deavored to  make  this  a  legal  tax  rather  than  a  mere 


CHARITY  AMONG  THE  JEWS  2$ 

voluntary  contribution.  For  some  time  the  giving  of 
the  tithe  became  a  common  practice  among  the  pious 
Jews  of  Germany  and  elsewhere. 

As  early  as  the  eleventh  century,  we  meet  with  a 
Jewish  hospital  under  the  name  of  Hekdesh  (a  home 
consecrated  to  God  for  the  benefit  of  the  needy)  in 
Cologne,  and  they  are  found  in  every  large  Jewish 
community  used  both  as  an  Inn  for  the  poor  as  well  as 
for  the  sick  and  the  aged.  Jewish  orphan  asylums  were 
not  known  before  the  seventeenth  century,  the  one 
estabhshed  in  the  Sephardic  Congregation  in  Amster- 
dam in  1648  being  the  first  recorded  in  Jewish  sources. 
The  one  in  Bavaria  was  established  in  1703. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  forms  of  charity  was  the 
ransoming  of  captives,  declared  in  the  Talmud  to  be  of 
the  most  meritorious.  (B.  B.  86.)  Talmudic  sources 
tell  us  of  a  class  of  the  pious  Hasidim,  v/ho  devoted  their 
whole  lives  to  the  performance  of  this  most  pressing 
obligation  in  Roman  times.  During  the  middle  ages, 
the  wars  on  land  and  the  pirate  ships  on  sea  turned  the 
prisoners  into  slaves,  and  to  purchase  the  freedom  of 
Jewish  slaves  required  large  funds  which  only  the  con- 
certed efforts  of  the  community  could  supply.  Espe- 
cially along  the  Mediterranean  shores  were  the  Jewish 
congregations,  which,  whether  of  Spain  and  Portugal 
or  of  Italy  and  the  Greek  Islands  were  taxed  to  the 
utmost,  and  had  to  unite  for  intercommunal  action. 
Later  on  we  find  the  Jewish  communities  of  Turkey 
and  of  Germany  banded  together  for  the  Hberation 
of  the  Jewish  prisoners.     Yet   this  very  fact  often 


26  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

led  the  pirates  and  occasionally  the  rulers  of  Christen- 
dom to  resort  to  all  sorts  of  extortions  for  the  sake  of 
obtaining  large  sums  of  money  from  the  Jews. 

E.  Charitable  Societies 
As  stated  above,  there  existed  already  in  ancient 
times  associations  of  the  pious  who  devoted  their  time 
to  the  performance  of  special  acts  of  charity.  One  of 
these  was  to  visit  the  sick,  another  to  attend  to  the 
dying  and  bury  the  dead.  From  the  thirteenth  century 
on  we  find  societies  organized  all  over  Europe  for  the 
support  of  the  poor,  for  the  education  of  the  children  of 
the  poor,  for  endowing  poor  maidens,  for  the  raising  of 
orphans,  for  visiting  and  aiding  the  sick,  for  sheltering 
the  aged,  for  free  burials,  and  for  the  ransom  of  pris- 
oners. But  it  was  only  with  the  beginning  of  the  nine- 
teenth century  that  the  beginning  was  made  in  Paris, 
London,  and  then  in  various  cities  of  the  United  States 
of  amalgamating  the  different  charitable  societies  and 
institutions  and  organizing  the  whole  work  of  relief 
along  modem  lines  and  methods. 

Chapter  Three.    Charity  Among  the  Jews 
Questions 

1.  What  place  does  Jewish  endeavor  occupy  in  the  develop- 
ment of  philanthropic  organization? 

2.  What  was  the  ancient  Jewish  conception  of  charity? 

3.  What  was  the  system  of  relief  in  Mishnaic  times? 

4.  How  did  Maimonides  classify  donors  to  charity? 

5.  Describe  Jewish  charity  in  the  middle  ages. 


IV 

NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS 
A.  The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund  * 

I.  Baron  Maurice  De  Eirsch 

The  name  of  Baron  De  Hirsch  is  well  known  as  that 
of  the  greatest  benefactor  among  the  Jews.  He  was 
born  in  Munich  on  December  9,  183 1,  and  he  died  near 
Brek-Ujar,  Hungary,  on  April  21,  1896.  He  started  his 
phenomenal  career  as  a  bank  clerk,  where  he  later  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  the  president.  He  became  in- 
terested in  the  building  of  railroads  through  the  Balkan 
States,  to  Constantinople.  During  the  prosecution  of 
this  work,  he  became  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
deplorable  conditions  of  the  Jews  in  the  Orient.  In  the 
beginning  he  placed  large  sums  of  money  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Alliance  IsraeHte,  to  whose  endeavors  he 
was  kindly  disposed,  and  with  whose  work  he  was 
satisfied.  In  1885,  Baron  De  Hirsch  drew  up  an  elab- 
orate scheme  for  improving  the  conditions  of  the 
Russian  Jews.  At  this  time  he  was  opposed  to  emigra- 
tion as  a  solution,  and  so  he  offered  the  Russian  Govern- 
ment fifty  milHon  francs  to  be  used  for  educational 
purposes.    The  offer  was  rejected.    He  next  turned  to 

1  Eugene  S.  Benjamin,  "The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund,"  "Proceed- 
ings National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,"  Philadelphia,  1906. 

27 


28  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

emigration  as  a  possible  solution  and  toward  it  he 
directed  all  of  his  strength. 

2.  The  Jewish  Colonization  Association 

After  considerable  effort,  Baron  De  Hirsch  succeeded 
in  forming  an  international  organization  called  the 
Jewish  Colonization  Association,  popularly  known  as 
the  I  C  A.  The  nominal  capital  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand pounds  was  contributed  entirely  by  the  originator 
of  the  scheme.  The  objects  of  the  Association,  as 
formulated  by  the  founder,  were: 

"To  assist  and  to  promote  the  emigration  of  Jews 
from  any  part  of  Europe  and  Asia,  and  principally  from 
countries  in  which  they  may  be  for  the  time  being  sub- 
jected to  any  special  taxes  or  political  or  other  dis- 
abilities, to  any  part  of  the  world  and  to  form  and 
establish  colonies  in  various  parts  of  North  and  South 
America  and  other  countries,  for  agricultural,  commer- 
cial, and  other  purposes." 

In  the  beginning  the  possibilities  of  forming  colonies 
in  Argentine  formed  the  major  part  of  the  extensive 
program  of  the  Jewish  Colonization  Association.  With 
the  sudden  and  extraordinary  immigration  of  the  Rus- 
sian Jews  to  the  United  States,  however,  the  Baron's 
attention  was  directed  to  the  needs  of  this  country. 

3.  Formation  of  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund 

In  1891,  he  was  instrumental  in  forming  the  Baron  De 
Hirsch  Fund  with  an  initial  capital  of  two  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  was  later  considerably 


NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  29 

augmented.  The  original  trustees  were  Meyer  S. 
Isaacs,  Jesse  Seligman,  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  Oscar  S. 
Straus,  Harry  Rice,  James  H.  Hoffman,  Julius  Gold- 
man, Meyer  Sulzberger,  and  William  H.  Hackenburg. 
The  board  was  co-optative.  The  purposes  of  the  fund, 
as  expressed  in  the  deed  of  trust,  are  as  follows: — 

1.  Loans  to  emigrants  from  Russia  and  Roumania,  agricul- 
turists, and  settlers  within  the  United  States,  upon  real  or 
chattel  securities. 

2.  Provision  for  the  transportation  of  immigrants  selected 
(after  their  arrival  in  any  port  in  America)  with  reference  to 
their  age,  character,  and  capacity,  to  places  where  it  is  expected 
that  conditions  of  the  labor  market  or  the  residence  of  friends 
will  make  them  self-supporting. 

3.  Provision  for  training  immigrants  in  a  handicraft  and  con- 
tributing for  their  support  while  learning  such  a  handicraft,  for 
furnishing  the  necessary  tools  and  implements  and  other  as- 
sistance to  enable  them  to  earn  a  livelihood. 

4.  Provision  for  improved  mechanical  training  for  adults  and 
youths — immigrants  and  their  children — whereby  persons  of 
industry  and  capacity  may  acquire  some  remunerative  employ- 
ment, either  by  pa3mient  of  apprenticeship  or  tuition  fee,  or 
the  instruction  of  adults  or  minors  in  trade  schools  or  otherwise 
with  contributions  for  temporary  support. 

5.  Provision  for  instruction  in  the  English  language,  and  in 
the  duties  and  obligations  of  life  and  citizenship  in  the  United 
States,  and  for  technical  and  trade  education,  and  the  establish- 
ment and  subvention  of  special  schools  and  workshops  and 
other  suitable  agencies  for  promoting  and  maintaining  such 
instruction. 

6.  Provision  for  instruction  in  agricultural  work,  and  im- 
proved methods  of  farming,  and  for  aiding  settlers  with  tools 
and  implements  and  the  practical  supervision  of  such  instruc- 


30  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tion,  conducted  upon  suitable  tracts  of  land  and  the  necessary 
buildings. 

7.  Co-operation  with  established  agencies  in  various  sections 
of  the  United  States,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  in  whole  or  part  to 
furnish  .  .  .  relief,  and  education  of  needy  and  deserving  ap- 
plicants coming  within  the  classes  designated  herein. 

8.  Contributions  toward  the  maintenance  of  individuals  and 
families,  while  temporarily  awaiting  work,  or  when  settled  in 
the  new  homes  in  which  they  may  be  established. 

9.  Such  other  and  further  modes  of  relief  and  such  other  and 
further  contributions  to  education  and  in  other  departments  of 
knowledge  as  the  said  trustees  or  their  successors  shall  from 
time  to  time  decide. 

A  portion  of  the  capital  was  spent  immediately 
under  the  provision  of  the  trust,  the  balance  of  the 
principal  has  been  kept  intact  by  the  trustees.  In  1906 
it  amounted  to  three  million,  eight  hundred  thousand 
dollars  and  only  the  income  thereof  is  used.  The  Fund 
is  also  augmented  from  time  to  time  by  special  appro- 
priations from  the  Jewish  Colonization  Association  of 
Paris.  The  precise  amount  of  the  income  of  the  Baron 
De  Hirsch  Fund  of  America  cannot  be  secured,  as  there 
is  no  official  account  of  disbursements,  but  it  can  be 
estimated  at  approximately  two  himdred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars  per  year. 

4.  The  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society 

The  agricultural  and  industrial  removal  work  be- 
came so  extensive  that  in  1900  it  was  necessary  to 
found  a  separate  society  to  take  charge  of  these  ac- 
tivities.   Accordingly  there  was  organized  the  "Agri- 


NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  31 

cultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society,"  which  is  main- 
tained partly  by  funds  donated  from  the  Baron  De 
Hirsch  Fund  and  partly  by  contributions  from  the 
Jewish  Colonization  Association  of  Paris;  also  the  In- 
dustrial Removal  Office  which  is  entirely  supported 
by  the  I  C  A.  These  activities  of  the  Fund  at  present 
fall  under  the  following  heads : 

1.  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricultural  School,  Woodbine, 
N.J. 

2.  Baron  De  Hirsch  Trade  School,  N.  Y. 

3.  Woodbine  Land  Improvement  Company. 

4.  Enghsh  instruction  to  Immigrants. 

5.  Relief  work. 

B.  The  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities 

The  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities  was 
organized  in  1899.  The  objects  of  this  association  are  to 
discuss  the  problems  of  charities  and  to  promote  re- 
forms in  their  administration;  to  provide  uniformity  of 
action  and  co-operation  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  the 
relief  and  betterment  of  the  Jewish  poor  of  the  United 
States,  without,  however,  interfering  in  any  manner 
with  the  local  work  of  any  constituent  society. 

The  Conference  succeeded  in  introducing  the  "  Trans- 
portation Rules,"  an  arrangement  which  makes  each 
community  responsible  for  the  care  of  its  own  poor,  and 
cope  effectively  with  the  problem  of  transient  apph- 
cants  for  reUef. 

The  Conference  devoted  considerable  time  to  the 
study  of  the  problem  of  the  care  of  dependent  children. 


32  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

and  is  responsible  for  great  many  improvements  in  the 
Jewish  child-caring  agencies  as  well  as  for  the  spread  of 
the  child-placing  poHcy  and,  together  with  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  widow  pension  practice,  the  forerunner  of  the 
present  state  pension  allowances.  The  Conference  has 
given  considerable  thought  to  the  question  of  tuber- 
culosis and  only  recently  caused  a  scientific  study  of  the 
situation  in  Denver.  The  Conference  was  instrumental 
in  organizing  the  National  Desertion  Bureau. 

The  Conference  has  promoted  the  spirit  of  social 
service  in  the  different  communities  and  has  prompted 
the  organization  of  federations,  etc. 

The  Conference  now  conducts  a  Field  Bureau,  which 
is  serving  as  an  information  agency,  making  it  possible 
for  organizations  to  utilize  the  services  of  the  secretary 
and  other  experts  in  organizing  and  revising  their 
activities. 

I.  Membership 

There  are  one  hundred  and  forty-five  constituent 
organizations  of  the  Conference,  representing  eighty 
cities  and  thirty-five  states. 

Any  regularly  organized  Jewish  society  of  the  United 
States  having  charitable  and  philanthropic  purposes 
may  become  a  member  of  the  association  on  application 
made  to  the  secretary  and  on  payment  of  the  member- 
ship dues. 

The  annual  membership  dues  in  a  city  where  federa- 
tion exists  shall  be  for  such  federation  one-tenth  of  one 
per  cent  of  the  annual  amount  expended  by  it  for  its 
corporate  purposes  during  the  preceding  year;  not  less, 


NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  33 

however,  than  five  dollars  ($5)  nor  more  than  fifty 
dollars  ($50)  and  dues  of  five  dollars  ($5)  for  any  con- 
stituent member  of  such  federation  that  shall  desire 
membership  in  this  Conference. 

In  cities  where  no  federation  exists  the  annual  mem- 
bership dues  for  each  society  shall  be  five  dollars  ($5) 
where  its  expenditures  as  above  are  less  than  five  thou- 
sand dollars  ($5,000)  and  ten  dollars  ($10)  for  all 
others. 

Individuals  may  become  subscribing  members  upon 
the  payment  of  one  dollar  ($1)  dues  annually,  for  which 
they  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the  publications  of  the  Con- 
ference, but  they  shall  have  no  vote. 

Each  constituent  society  shall  be  entitled  to  one 
delegate,  but  may  appoint  as  many  as  it  sees  fit  to 
attend  the  biennial  meeting.  All  such  delegates  shall  be 
entitled  to  participate  in  said  meeting,  but  each  society 
shall  have  but  one  vote. 

"  Jewish  Charities,"  the  bulletin  of  the  Conference,  is 
issued  monthly. 

C.  The  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith 

Organized  as  early  as  1843,  the  Independent  Order  of 
B'nai  B'rith  was  originally  a  mutual  aid  society,  but 
for  some  years  the  organization  has  abandoned,  prac- 
tically speaking,  all  the  features  of  exclusive  aid  to  its 
members,  and  at  present  devotes  its  funds  to  charitable 
and  educational  work  on  a  scale  more  or  less  national. 
The  following  institutions  in  the  United  States  were 
founded  by  the  Order: 


34  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Free  Employment  Bureau,  Chicago  and  Pittsburg. 

Jewish  Widows  and  Orphans  Home,  New  Orleans,  La. 

Home  for  the  Aged  and  Infirm,  Yonkers,  N.  Y. 

Jewish  Orphan  Asylum,  Cleveland,  0. 

Relief  Committee,  Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

National  Hospital,  Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

Home  for  Jewish  Orphans,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Inmiigrant  and  Sabbath  schools  in  a  number  of  cities. 

Ini9i5,  a  special  department  of  Jewish  Social  Service 
was  inaugurated,  with  a  paid  worker  at  its  head.  The 
Order  has  four  hundred  and  forty-two  lodges  (some  in 
Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa)  with  a  membership  of  forty 
thousand  and  eighty-three  individuals. 

D.  National  Institutions  for  the  Care  of 
Consumptives 

There  are  three  national  institutions  for  the  care  of 
consumptives.  The  National  Jewish  Hospital  and  the 
Jewish  Consumptives  Relief  Society  are  both  situated  in 
Denver,  Colorado.  The  former  was  founded  in.  1889  and 
the  latter  in  1904.  The  phase  that  these  two  institu- 
tions represent  in  Jewish  philanthropy  in  the  United 
States  is  interesting  to  note.  They  represent  the 
rivalry  in  the  sphere  of  charity  between  the  older  Ameri- 
can Jewry  (the  Reform  element)  and  the  newer  and 
orthodox  element,  which  arrived  in  our  country  during 
the  last  thirty  years.  Another  national  organization 
was  started  in  Los  Angeles  in  19 14,  and  is  known  as  the 
Jewish  Consumptive  Relief  Association  of  Los  Angeles. 


NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  35 

E.  National  Farm  School 

The  National  Farm  School  was  founded  in  1896, 
primarily  through  the  herculean  efforts  of  Dr.  Joseph 
Krauskopf ,  to  promote  agricultural  training  and  educa- 
tion among  Jewish  youths,  and  to  prepare  experts  and 
leaders  for  the  Jews  engaged  in  this  particular  occupa- 
tion. The  school  is  situated  at  Doylestown,  Pa.,  and 
is  largely  supported  by  Jews  all  over  the  United 
States. 

F.  The  Council  of  Jewish  Women 

The  Coimcil  of  Jewish  Women  was  organized  in  1893, 
and  consists  of  seventy-three  senior  sections  situated 
all  over  the  United  States.  Besides  social  and  religious 
activities,  the  Council  is  actively  engaged  in  philan- 
thropic and  educational  activities. 

G.  The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid 
Society  of  America 

The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society  of 
America  cares  for,  and  oflters  protection  to  the  immi- 
grant. Formerly  a  Hebrew  sheltering  house,  this  new 
organization  assumed,  in  1909,  the  entire  care  of  the 
newly  arrived  immigrants. 

H.  The  Educational  League 

The  Educational  League,  organized  in  1896,  has  for 
its  purpose  the  providing  of  means  for  the  higher 
education  of  orphans. 


36  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

I.  The  National  Jewish  Immigration  Council 

The  National  Jewish  Immigration  Comicil  was 
organized  in  191 1  for  the  purpose  of  general  supervision 
of  all  work  for  Jewish  Immigrants  at  the  seaports  of  the 
United  States. 

J,  The  National  Union  of  Jewish  Sheltering 
Societies 

The  National  Union  of  Jewish  Sheltering  Societies 
was  organized  in  191 1  for  the  purpose  of  helping  worthy- 
wayfarers,  to  put  a  stop  to  habitual  wanderers,  and  to 
prevent  wife  deserters  from  using  the  Eachnosis  Orchim 
as  a  means  of  escape  from  family  responsibility. 

K.  The  American  Jewish  Committee 

On  November  11,  1906,  the  American  Jewish  Com- 
mittee was  organized  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the 
infraction  of  the  civil  and  religious  rights  of  the  Jews  in 
any  part  of  the  world,  to  render  all  lawful  assistance, 
and  to  take  appropriate  remedial  action  in  the  case  of 
threatened  or  actual  invasion  of  such  rights,  or  of  un- 
favorable discrimination  with  respect  thereto,  to  secure 
for  Jews  equaHty  of  economic,  social,  and  educational 
opportunity,  to  alleviate  the  consequences  of  persecu- 
tion and  to  afford  relief  from  calamities  affecting  Jews, 
wherever  they  may  occur,  and  to  compass  these  ends  to 
administer  rehef  funds  which  shall  come  into  its  posses- 
sion or  which  may  be  received  by  it  in  trust  or  otherwise 
for  any  of  the  aforesaid  objects  or  for  purposes  compre- 
hended therein. 


NATIONAL  ORGANIZATIONS  37 

L.  The  Joint  Distribution  Committee 
The  Joint  Distribution  Committee  was  organized  for 
the  distribution  of  funds  for  the  Jewish  War  sufferers  in 
Europe,  and  represents  three  national  committees  col- 
lecting funds  for  this  purpose,  namely,  the  American 
Jewish  Committee,  the  Central  Relief  Committee,  and 
the  People's  ReHef  Committee.  Each  of  these  com- 
mittees retains  its  autonomy  as  far  as  the  collection  of 
funds  is  concerned,  and  uses  its  own  methods,  while  the 
distribution  is  attended  to  by  a  joint  committee  con- 
sisting of  representatives  of  the  constituent  committees. 

Chapter  Four.    National  Organizations.    Questions 

1.  Outline  the  career  of  Baron  De  Hirsch. 

2.  What  are  the  purposes  of  the  Jewish  Colonization  Associa- 
tion? 

3.  Describe  the  formation  and  the  aims  of  the  Baron  De 
Hirsch  Fund. 

4.  State  the  reason  for  forming  the  Jewish  Agricultural  and 
Industrial  Aid  Society. 

5.  Give  the  origin  and  purposes  of  the  National  Conference 
of  Jewish  Charities,  and  describe  its  membership. 

6.  Describe  the  Order  B'nai  B'rith. 

7.  What  are  the  national  institutions  for  the  care  of  Jewish 
consumptives? 

8.  Describe  the  National  Farm  School. 

9.  Explain  the  organization  and  activity  of  the  Council  of 
Jewish  Women. 

10.  What  is  the  purpose  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immi- 
grant Aid  Society  of  America? 

11.  Characterize  the  activities  of  the  Educational  League. 

12.  What  are  the  National  Jewish  Immigration  Council  and 
the  National  Union  of  Jewish  Sheltering  Societies? 

13.  Describe  the  organization  and  purpose  of  the  American 
Jewish  Committee. 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  FOR  JEWISH 
PHILANTHROPIC  AGENCIES 

A.  Direct  Begging 

From  time  immemorial  it  was  the  business  of  the 
indigent  themselves  to  seek  out  those  persons  who 
would  contribute  towards  their  maintenance.  The  pro- 
fession of  the  "schnorrer"  was  the  highest  evolutionary 
type  of  this  direct  method  of  raising  funds  by  the 
recipients  themselves.  Each  schnorrer  had  a  certain 
route  of  contributors,  whom  he  visited  at  definitely 
recurring  intervals.  When  in  need  no  longer  of  making 
the  rounds  himself,  he  would  not  infrequently  sell  this 
privilege,  and  so  transmit  his  income  to  his  successor.^ 
This  method  of  direct  soliciting  of  funds  by  the  poor 
themselves  carried  with  it  the  advantage  of  personal 
contact  on  the  part  of  the  giver  with  the  actual  condi- 
tions of  the  recipient.  The  supreme  objections  to  this 
method,  however,  are,  first,  that  the  poor  are  humiliated 
by  the  necessity  of  begging,  second,  that  they  do  not 
receive  adequate  relief  from  any  one  source  and  are 
compelled  to  gather  the  needed  funds  spasmodically  in 
irregular  amounts,  third,  that  they  have  no  definite 
assurance  that  their  needs  will  be  met  by  the  generosity 
of  the  giver.  Still,  in  former  times,  when  social  relations 
^  See  Israel  Zangwill's  "The  King  of  Schnorrers." 
38 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  39 

were  simple,  and  social  cleavage  was  not  so  clearly 
marked,  this  method  could  satisfactorily  serve  its  pur- 
pose. In  the  present  complexity  of  modem  society  it 
carries  with  it  serious  difficulties.  In  Jewish  philan- 
thropy, however,  this  method  is  still  in  vogue,  especially 
in  regard  to  the  large  number  of  traveling  "scholars," 
rabbis,  and  so  forth  who  collect  donations  from  a 
generous  community  and  change  their  location  as  soon 
as  the  ground  has  been  covered. 

B.  The  Pushka  Method  ^ 

The  pushka  or  charity  box  in  the  synagogue  was 
another  primitive  form  of  raising  charity  funds.  This 
box  was,  as  a  rule,  supplemented  by  collectors,  who 
canvassed  the  homes  and  the  business  districts  for 
contributions  to  definite  works.  Simon  Kaftan,  in 
Russia,  one  of  these  private  collectors,  was  one  of  the 
large  number  of  picturesque  charity  workers.  Entering 
a  house  while  on  his  continuous  mission  of  mercy,  he 
would  place  his  tin  collecting  box  behind  himself,  and 
say,  "Put  in  as  much  as  you  can  or  take  out  as  much  as 
you  need."  Deborah  Esther,  of  Vilna,  devoted  her  life 
to  building  up  one  particular  institution,  the  free  loan 
society  of  that  city.  Going  around  hurriedly  from 
morning  until  night  with  her  box  in  her  hand,  sitting  in 
front  of  the  passers-by  in  the  market  place  in  rain,  in 
storm,  and  in  cold,  she  collected,  kopeck  by  kopeck,  not 
less  than  three  hundred  roubles  a  week.    This  noble 

1  "  Jewish  Charitable  Activities  in  Russia  ":  Dr.  David  Blaustein 
and  Prof.  H.  L.  Sabsovich,  Proceedings  Fifth  National  Conference 
of  Jewish  Charities,  Richmond,  1908. 


40  '  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

work  she  prosecuted  until  the  end  of  her  days.  She  died 
at  the  age  of  ninety,  and  the  entire  population,  in 
gratitude  for  her  devoted  service,  followed  her  remains 
to  the  grave.  The  collections  of  charity  funds  by  means 
of  a  charity  box  and  synagogue  donations  during  the 
holy  days,  while  inoffensive  in  itself  as  a  method,  un- 
fortunately gives  no  assurance  that  each  member  of  the 
congregation  does  his  duty  in  proportion  to  his  means, 
nor  does  it  presuppose  either  a  definite  income  or  a 
certain  manner  of  distribution  with  guarantee  of 
efficient,  ultimate  disposition.  The  charity  box  method 
is  extensively  used  in  the  United  States,  not  only  in  the 
synagogues,  but  also  in  private  homes  by  the  so-called 
Halukah  organizations,  whose  purpose  is  the  collection 
of  funds  for  the  support  of  the  poor  in  Jerusalem  and 
their  maintenance  in  the  Holy  Land.  In  this  instance, 
besides  the  negative  value  of  the  charity  box  method, 
the  cost  of  collection  and  the  lack  of  centraHzed  control 
of  expenditure  make  the  system  most  unwholesome  and 
undesirable.  The  same  can  be  postulated  with  regard  to 
the  different  private  collections  made  by  self-appointed 
individuals  who  usually  approach  persons  for  a  donation 
either  for  a  poor  family  or  for  a  sick  person. 

C.  Charity  Taxes 

Between  1826  and  185 1  the  Russian  government  va- 
riously established  special  taxes,  a  part  of  the  income 
from  which  was  to  defray  the  cost  of  Jewish  charitable 
institutions.  This  impost  is  either  a  tax  on  Kosher 
meat  or  a  duty  on  the  candles  used  every  Sabbath  eve 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  41 

in  the  home  of  the  pious  Jew.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
that  with  the  customary  impartiality  of  the  Russian 
government  towards  its  Jewish  subjects,  the  major  por- 
tion of  the  revenue  accruing  from  these  imposts  is  used 
for  rather  ahen  purposes,  such  as  the  building  of  roads 
or  even  for  the  erection  of  Greek  orthodox  churches. 
Voluntary  taxation  has  frequently  been  adopted  in  the 
United  States;  for  instance,  the B'nai  B'rith  organization 
sets  aside  a  certain  portion  of  its  membership  dues  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  various  charities  of  the  Order. 

D.  Endowments 

Frequently  the  bulk  of  the  initial  expense  of  an 
institution  is  contributed  by  a  single  individual,  often 
as  a  memorial  to  a  departed  member  of  the  family. 
Only  in  individual  cases  are  these  institutions  suffi- 
ciently endowed  to  obviate  dependence  on  outside  sup- 
port for  their  maintenance  or  expansion.  The  Baron 
De  Hirsch  Fund  is  an  example  of  this,  an  endowment 
upon  a  gigantic  scale.  In  a  number  of  institutions, 
donations  are  also  received  in  small  sums,  in  memory  of 
the  departed.  Tablets  are  placed  to  perpetuate  the 
names  of  the  donors,  and  again,  Kaddish  (prayer)  is 
recited  for  the  dead  by  the  inmates  of  the  beneficiary 
institution  receiving  a  certain  compensation  in  the 
form  of  a  charity  subvention.  This  form  of  income  is 
quite  an  item  in  the  orphanages  and  homes  for  the 
aged  and  infirm,  etc.  Permanent  endowment  funds  in 
charitable  endeavor  undoubtedly  carry  with  them 
many  advantages.     They  obviate  the  necessity  for 


42  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

continuous  raising  of  funds,  and  provide  a  definite 
income  and  reduce  to  a  minimum  the  expense  of  collec- 
tion of  revenues.  On  the  other  hand,  however,  the 
danger  in  endowment  funds  is  that,  frequently,  the 
conditions  calling  for  the  endowments  disappear,  where- 
upon unnecessary  institutions  are  perpetuated.  This 
continuation  by  endowment  of  institutions  rendered 
obsolete  naturally  weakens  the  interest  of  the  com- 
munity in  social  welfare  and  makes  the  management  of 
such  funds  more  or  less  bureaucratic  and  exclusive.  It 
is  imperative,  therefore,  that  bequests  of  this  character 
should  be  extremely  elastic,  and  that  the  use  of  the 
funds  should  be  determined  by  the  needs  of  the  times. 
In  the  same  light  should  be  considered  those  donations 
made  for  charitable  purposes  and  extended  to  per- 
petuate the  memory  of  the  departed. 

With  the  growing  demand  upon  charitable  activities, 
there  is  a  strong  sentiment  to  designate  charity  be- 
quests for  immediate  actual  needs  rather  than  to  trans- 
fer them  into  permanent  sources  of  income.  This  is  the 
principle  advocated  by  the  great  philanthropist  of 
Chicago,  Julius  Rosenwald.  Another  principle  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  statement  of  the  Federation  of  Charities 
in  Philadelphia,  which  refuses  to  accept  the  donations  of 
institutions  unless  they  are  endowed  sufficiently  to 
guarantee  the  expenses  of  operation. 

E.  Charity  Socials 

Frequently,  charity  funds  have  been  raised  through 
social  enterprises.    For  instance,  to  liquidate  a  mort- 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  43 

gage  upon  the  Educational  Alliance  and  the  Hebrew 
Technical  Institute  in  New  York  City,  over  a  quarter 
of  a  million  dollars  was  raised  on  a  fair  in  1900.  In 
some  cities,  the  charity  ball  is  an  annual  affair,  and  is 
a  source  of  considerable  income.  Besides,  minstrel 
shows,  tea  parties,  dramatic  evenings,  guessing  parties, 
raffles  and  what  not  else,  are  used  to  raise  funds  for 
philanthropic  purposes.  In  quite  recent  years,  these 
questionable  methods  are  becoming  rapidly  displaced 
by  regular  periodic  subscriptions,  which  guarantee  to 
the  institutions  a  definite  income  without  additional 
expense  or  obligation.  The  temptation  to  raise  funds 
for  charity  through  entertainments  has  been  very 
great,  and  was  abused  to  such  an  extent  as  to  justify 
the  indignation  of  the  pubHc.  Frequently  a  large  part 
of  the  funds  raised  were  consumed  in  the  enterprise 
which  produced  them,  and  the  net  income  was  dis- 
proportionate to  the  effort  expended.  This  became  a 
burden  upon  communities  and  annoying  and  obnoxious 
to  the  generous  donors. 

F.  The  Federation  Idea 

I.  Federation  Experiences 

While  the  methods  enumerated  above  are  still  prac- 
ticed and  a  certain  merit  cannot  be  denied  them,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  they  are  being  more  and  more  re- 
placed by  the  so-called  subscription  method,  in  which 
the  contributors  subscribe  a  certain  sum  periodically  for 
the  given  philanthropy.    While  in  its  older  form  this 


44  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

method  presupposed  a  collector,  usually  paid  for  his 
labor,  it  has  been  gradually  adjusted  to  a  way  by  which 
the  subscribers  send  in  their  contributions  by  mail,  thus 
avoiding  unnecessary  expense.  In  attempting  to 
simpUfy  the  method  of  collection  and  to  save  the  con- 
tributors unnecessary  annoyance,  the  Jews  were  the 
first  in  the  field  of  social  work  to  introduce  the  "Federa- 
tion" idea. 

The  Federation  is  an  attempt  to  unify  the  different 
philanthropic  efforts  of  a  community.  In  some  cities 
it  is  simply  a  central  collective  agency,  in  others,  the 
reHef  department  is  an  integral  part  of  the  Federation, 
and  again,  in  some,  it  is  a  central  administrative 
agency  for  all  organizations. 

In  New  York,  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  as  its 
name  implies,  was  the  result  of  a  combination  of  several 
institutions  which  pooled  their  resources  in  the  year 
1874,  and  have  continued  their  combined  activities 
since  that  day.  We  find  that  in  1895,  in  Boston,  some 
form  of  a  Federation  was  established,  but  the  first  true 
Federation  was  established  in  Cincinnati  in  1896.  Here 
nine  institutions  of  the  city  combined  while  two  stayed 
out  of  the  Federation  and  still  remain  unaffihated.  At 
present,  there  are  forty-five  cities  that  have  followed 
suit.  In  every  case.  Federation  has  produced  an  in- 
crease, both  in  subscriptions  and  in  numbers  of  con- 
tributors. 

Special  mention  should  be  made  of  affairs  in  Balti- 
more, where  a  Federation  of  what  may  be  termed  the 
"up-town"  institutions  of  the  older  estabhshed  Jewish 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  45 

inhabitants  of  that  city  was  effected  in  1907.  The 
later  arrivals,  seeing  the  advantages  of  union,  but  de- 
clining for  various  reasons  to  combine  with  their  fellow- 
Jews,  made  a  Federation  of  their  own,  under  the  title 
of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  Baltimore.  These 
two  Federations  appear  to  co-operate  in  all  matters  in 
which  they  can.  Something  similar  has  occurred  in 
Chicago,  where  the  Federated  Orthodox  Jewish  Char- 
ities was  organized  in  19 13. 

Meanwhile,  the  tide  of  Federation  had  reached  New 
York  and  an  attempt  was  made  to  apply  its  methods  to 
the  largest  Jewish  commimity  in  the  world.  In  the 
year  1908,  the  heads  of  some  forty-five  institutions  of 
New  York  City  met  in  a  series  of  conferences  to  deter- 
mine whether  it  would  be  feasible  to  bring  them  all  into 
a  Federation.  One  of  the  persons  who  took  a  great 
interest  in  the  movement  in  favor  of  Federation  in 
Manhattan  was  Mr.  Louis  A.  Heinsheimer,  who  de- 
voted much  time  and  energy  in  promoting  this  scheme. 
Shortly  after,  unfortunately,  he  died,  but  left  a  magnifi- 
cent legacy  for  the  purpose  of  such  a  Federation  of 
Jewish  Charities  in  New  York  City  when  once  estab- 
lished, conditional  upon  five  institutions  named  going 
in.  His  brother  Alfred,  the  residuary  legatee,  offered 
the  one  million  dollars  ($1,000,000),  provided  four  of  the 
five  agreed.  Even  this  magnificent  inducement  did  not 
overcome  the  opposition  to  the  Federation  in  New 
York,  and  as  Mr.  Heinsheimer  had  set  a  time  limit  to 
his  bequest,  the  plan  fell  through.  One  section  of 
greater  New  York  was  not  affected  by  this  imfortunate 


46  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

deadlock,  and  the  leaders  of  the  Brookl)ai  Jewish 
Charities  combined  in  1910  the  chief  charitable  or- 
ganizations of  that  borough.  Lately,  the  sentiment  in 
favor  of  a  Federation  in  New  York  City  has  been  again 
awakened,  and  the  study  of  this  subject  has  been  re- 
newed.^ 

On  June  6,  1916,  a  committee  on  Federation  adopted 
a  plan  for  the  Federation  of  Jewish  Charities  in  New 
York  City  to  take  effect  when  agreed  to  by  societies 
receiving  two-thirds  of  the  total  amount  collected  in 
membership  dues  and  subscriptions  of  designated 
societies.  The  scope  of  the  Federation  is  limited  to 
organizations  ministering  to  the  needs  of  the  Jews  of  the 
Boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  Bronx  though  not  neces- 
sarily within  those  territories.  Charitable  and  relief 
agencies,  organizations  for  the  care  of  the  sick,  the 
dependent  and  delinquent,  societies  for  general  educa- 
tional and  social  activities  are  included  within  the  plan. 
However,  because  of  the  special  problems  they  present, 
religious,  educational,  and  national  institutions,  even 
though  ministering  to  the  specified  locaHties,  are,  for  the 
time  being,  excluded  from  the  plan. 

The  Federation  is  to  act  chiefly  as  a  clearing  house  for 
the  collecting  of  funds  for  its  constituent  societies 
though  these  will  be  permitted  to  retain  their  own 
memberships.  Representation  and  voting  power  on  the 
governing  body  will  be  apportioned  on  the  basis  of 
gross  income.    Provision  is  made  for  the  grouping  of 

'  "What  Federation  in  the  Interior  Cities  can  Teach  New  York." 
Morris  D.  Waldman,  in  the  "American  Hebrew,"  March  5,  1916. 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  47 

societies,  with  incomes  too  small  to  deserve  representa- 
tion, for  the  election  of  joint  representatives.  A  num- 
ber of  persons  not  connected  with  the  executive  boards 
of  any  constituent  societies  are  to  be  elected  trustees  by 
the  members.  The  board  of  trustees,  the  governing 
body,  is  to  control  the  securing  of  funds,  but  to  have  no 
say  in  the  management  of  any  society. 

An  emergency  fund  of  three  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars for  local  emergencies  only  is  provided.  Con- 
stituent societies  are  guaranteed  an  income  equal  to 
that  which  they  received  in  191 5. 

2.  Advantages  of  Federation 

The  first  advantage  found  for  the  Federation 
throughout,  has  been  the  distinct  increase  in  the 
amount  collected.  Persons  are  often  of  the  erroneous 
impression  that  they  are  contributing  largely  to  charity 
when  sending  their  gifts  in  driblets,  and  are  frequently 
surprised  at  the  comparative  smallness  when  the 
different  items  are  added  up.  They  are,  therefore, 
prepared  to  make  considerably  greater  sacrifices,  espe- 
cially when  not  likely  to  be  worried  more  than  once 
a  year. 

This  kind  of  increase  naturally  did  not  continue  after 
the  Federation  had  entered.  It  is  almost  a  universal 
experience  that  the  second,  third,  and  fourth  years 
after  Federation  do  not  show  a  marked  increase, 
certainly  no  more  than  the  normal  increase  in  pop- 
ulation and  affluence  would  have  warranted  if  no 
Federation  had  taken  place.     It  is  also  a  general  ex- 


48  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

perience,  that  after  three  or  four  years,  another  jump 
takes  place  in  the  receipts,  after  which  another  pause 
occurs.^ 

The  second  benefit  accruing  from  Federation  is  the 
eUmination  of  indiscriminate,  unauthorized,  sohcitation. 
The  third  advantage  is  that  Federation  tends  to  prevent 
the  increase  of  unnecessary  institutions;  and  the  fourth 
claim  advanced  is  that  Federation  eliminates  duplica- 
tion and  overlapping  of  the  activities  of  the  constituent 
societies. 

But  apart  from  the  material  benefits  which  result 
from  Federation,  the  whole  plane  of  Jewish  philan- 
thropy is  raised  by  this  more  dignified  method  for 
collecting  and  distributing  the  means  by  which  charity 
lives.  Then  again,  the  community  in  which  the  insti- 
tution exists  learns  to  regard  it  as  an  organized  member 
of  the  community,  rather  than  pet  institutions  of  a 
Hmited  number  of  famihes.  When  occasions  arise  on 
which  a  greater  appeal  has  to  be  made  for  charity  pur- 
poses, it  would,  perhaps,  come  with  more  force  from  a 
central  bureau  representing  all  the  philanthropic  ac- 
tivities of  the  community  rather  than  if  it  emanated 
from  the  directors  of  a  single  institution. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  claimed  that  Federation  fails 
in  the  promotion  of  new  enterprises,  that  it  does  away 
with  private  initiative  of  the  different  constituent 
societies,  and  in  many  instances  does  not  achieve  a 
definite  and  just  apportionment  of  the  funds. 

1" Federation"  by  Dr.  Joseph  Jacobs.  "American  Jewish  Year 
Book,"  1914. 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  49 

G.  The  Subscription  Method 

Concomitant  with  the  spread  of  the  Federation  prin- 
ciple, private  subscriptions  have  almost  displaced  the 
foregoing  methods  and  have  become  the  only  legitimate 
way  of  raising  funds,  though  some  of  the  different 
methods  enumerated  above  are  still  practiced  and  a 
certain  merit  cannot  be  denied  them.  With  the  in- 
troduction of  the  Federation  idea,  however,  the  possi- 
bility of  raising  funds  without  these  extraordinary 
and  sometimes  illegal  enterprises  became  self-evident. 
The  contributing  public  cheerfully  met  the  proposi- 
tion that  henceforth  subscribers  to  the  Federations 
should  be  relieved  of  the  necessity  of  contributing 
in  any  other  way  and  should  not  be  obliged  to  pur- 
chase tickets,  and  to  attend  the  various  affairs  given, 
presumably,  for  philanthropic  purposes.  Thus,  Fed- 
eration has  eliminated  a  considerable  amount  of 
waste. 

H.  Efficiency  Tests  for  Raising  Funds 

The  problem  of  raising  funds  for  philanthropic  pur- 
poses, as  expressed  in  the  modem  term  of  efficiency,  is 
to  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  money  with  the  least 
possible  expense  and  effort, — to  provide  a  perma- 
nent regular  income  for  the  maintenance  of  exist- 
ing activities,  and  to  conserve  the  interest,  as  well 
as  the  resources,  of  the  community,  in  the  field  of 
philanthropy.  The  Federation  plan  fully  meets  these 
tests. 


so  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

I.  Methods  of  Getting  Subscriptions 

I.  The  Card  Catalogue 

The  experience  of  several  Federations  suggests  cer- 
tain methods  for  raising  funds  through  annual  sub- 
scriptions. First,  a  thorough  canvass  of  the  community 
should  be  made,  and  a  card  catalogue  compiled  of  all 
potential  subscribers  of  the  organization.  This  cat- 
alogue should  include  all  of  the  members  of  the  different 
congregations  and  clubs,  donors  and  subscribers  to  the 
existing  charities,  and  members  of  fraternal  orders. 
In  some  cities,  the  names  found  in  the  telephone  di- 
rectory were  secured,  and  having  a  telephone  was  taken 
as  prima  facie  evidence  of  ability  to  donate  to  charity. 
Real  estate  owners,  as  well  as  property  owners  of  busi- 
ness establishments  were  included  in  the  catalogue. 

2.  Circulars 

When  the  catalogue  is  compiled,  a  circular  letter  is 
sent,  enclosing  a  subscription  blank  and  requesting  the 
addressee  to  become  a  subscriber. 

3.  Personal  Solicitation 

This  is  followed  by  a  personal  solicitation  by  the 
membership  committee,  which  is  formed  for  this  pur- 
pose. In  this  campaign  the  city  is  divided  into  districts, 
or  each  one  of  the  committee  men  takes  for  solicitation 
the  names  of  those  with  whom  he  is  acquainted  or  with 
whom  he  comes  more  or  less  in  contact.  Usually  both 
methods  are  utilized. 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  51 

4.  Arguments 

In  the  circular  letter  that  is  mailed,  as  well  as  in  the 
personal  appeal  that  is  made  by  the  committee,  the 
general  purpose  of  the  charity  organization  is  set  forth, 
and  the  following  arguments  advanced: 

First,  that  the  subscriber  will  henceforth  relieve  him- 
self of  the  annoyance  of  continual  sohcitations  for 
charity  funds. 

Second,  that  the  organization  will  get  rid  of  the 
professional  beggar,  and  that  the  deserving  poor  will 
receive  adequate  and  scientific  treatment;  and  last,  that 
the  subscriber  has  the  opportunity  to  refer  all  applica- 
tions for  relief  to  the  central  organization,  and  be  as- 
sured that  the  applicant  will  receive  proper  attention. 

5.  Special  Help 

In  some  cases,  especially  in  the  case  of  large  donors, 
repeated  efforts  will  have  to  be  made  before  success  is 
achieved,  and  a  special  committee,  having  close  con- 
nections with  the  party  in  question,  will  have  to  take 
it  upon  itself  to  secure  the  special  subscription.  Chicago 
should  be  given  credit  for  organizing  a  Young  Men's 
Auxiliary  Society,  which  is  endeavoring  to  raise  money 
among  the  younger  element  for  the  Federation.  Other 
cities  have  emulated  Chicago's  lead. 

6.  After  Numbers 

The  present  tendency  is  not  only  to  get  as  large  an 
amount  of  contributions  as  possible,  but  a  large  number 


52 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


of  subscribers  as  well.  It  is  interesting  in  this  connec- 
tion to  examine  the  tables  of  comparative  contributions 
for  charity  in  the  different  cities.  ^ 


Cities  Contributions 

Cincinnati $117,372 

Chicago 482,809 

Baltimore 122,714 

Pittsburg 112,000 

Philadelphia 250,000 

Rochester 12,728 

St.  Louis 97^500 

Cleveland 91,500 

New  York 1,250,000 

Detroit 25,000 

Boston 90,000 

Indianapolis 11,000 

Brooklyn 102,500 


Jewish 

Population 

Per  Capita 

28,000 

$4.19 

125,000 

3-86 

42,500 

2.89 

45,000 

2.49 

110,000 

2.27 

6,000 

2.12 

47,500 

2.01 

50,000 

1.83 

750,000 

1.66 

16,500 

1.51 

65,000 

1.38 

9,000 

1.22 

300,000 

•34 

7.  special  Donations 

It  is  but  natural  that  certain  activities  or  institutions 
should  appeal  to  individual  donors  more  than  others. 
This  legitimate  choice  is  often  responsible  for  large 
endowments,  bequests,  or  donations  to  these  particular 
activities  or  institutions.  It  is  consequently  the  duty  of 
those  who  are  at  the  head  of  philanthropic  agencies  to 
popularize  their  workings,  thus  giving  the  public  an 
opportunity  to  judge  of  the  relative  merits  of  the  differ- 
ent activities.    Frequently  a  new  activity  will  require  a 


Jewish  Charities,"  vol.  i.  No.  8,  page  3,  191 1. 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  53 

large  initial  outlay,  and  this  had  best  be  covered  by 
special  donations. 

8.  The  Spirit  of  Rivalry 

Chicago  was  especially  successful  in  instilling  a  whole- 
some spirit  of  rivalry  and  has  raised  considerable 
amounts  of  money  in  this  way,  not  only  in  these  large 
donations,  but  through  large  numbers  of  subscribers, 
and  amounts  of  small  annual  contributions  as  well. 
As  a  rule,  however,  these  whirlwdnd  campaigns  are 
spasmodic,  and  can  be  successful  only  in  an  emergency. 
The  method  is  especially  effective  in  raising  funds  for 
building  purposes,  establishing  new  activities,  and  espe- 
cially for  those  institutions  that  supply  an  educational 
activity  that  will  serve  the  community  at  large,  rather 
than  a  purely  charitable  enterprise  intended  primarily 
for  the  poor.  The  raising  of  funds  through  annual 
subscriptions  is  of  prime  importance,  and  if  carried  on 
efifectively  and  consistently,  obviates  the  necessity  for 
these  sporadic  attempts. 

J.  State  and  Municipal  Subventions 

In  no  small  number  of  instances,  Jewish  institutions 
administering  to  a  certain  definite  clientele  are  entitled 
to  and  are  utilizing  state  and  municipal  subventions. 
Again,  many  relief  agencies  refer  cases  of  dependency  to 
state  and  municipal  institutions,  thus  lightening  the 
burden  upon  private  philanthropy.  This  is  the  case 
with  a  number  of  hospitals,  orphanages,  and  also  in  the 


54  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

case  of  outdoor  relief  in  many  cities,  and  in  the  instance 
of  state  funds  to  parents. 

K.  Outside  Contributions 

In  but  a  few  instances  do  Jewish  charitable  institu- 
tions apply  for  support  to  a  constituency  other  than 
their  own.  While  this  may  be  a  matter  of  necessity  in 
these  few  cases,  there  is  no  doubt  that  outside  contribu- 
tions invariably  weaken  the  independent  spirit  of  the 
community,  and  lead  to  an  attitude  of  dependency  with 
its  demoralizing  effects. 

L.  Collections  by  Mail 

In  some  cities  the  arrangements  are  so  successfully 
completed  that  the  subscribers  realize  the  importance 
of  minimizing  the  expenses  of  collections  and  co-operate 
to  such  an  extent  that  all  the  subscriptions  are  sent  in 
by  mail,  leaving  only  a  few  who  require  additional 
reminders.  In  others,  however,  it  becomes  necessary 
to  engage  a  paid  collector,  who  receives  a  salary,  or  is 
paid  in  proportion  to  his  collections. 

M.  Publicity 

I.  Reports 

In  the  last  analysis,  the  financial  success  that  an 
organization  achieves  is  directly  proportional  to  the 
amount  of  wholesome  publicity  that  it  receives.  For 
this  reason,  it  has  been  customary  for  organizations  to 
publish  an  annual  report.    This  includes  an  account  of 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  55 

the  different  activities,  with  special  emphasis  upon 
special  policies  and  acquisitions  of  the  year,  the  names 
of  the  officers  of  the  organization,  and  a  list  of  the  sub- 
scribers with  the  amounts  of  their  contributions.  For  a 
time  it  was  thought  advisable  to  omit  the  amount  of 
the  contribution,  thus  putting  all  the  subscribers  on  the 
same  basis.  Intended  originally  to  prevent  embarrass- 
ment on  the  part  of  those  who  cannot  contribute  large 
sums,  it  is  also  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  small 
subscriber  deserves  the  same  consideration  as  does  the 
large  contributor,  since  the  small  contribution  in  many 
instances  represents  a  larger  proportion  of  a  man's 
income  than  does  the  large  donation.  This  ethical 
consideration  rapidly  gave  way  to  a  more  practical 
consideration,  namely,  the  desire  to  make  pubHc  the 
amounts  contributed  by  different  individuals  and  thus 
make  them  do  their  full  share,  and  to  give  special  ac- 
knowledgment to  those  who  contribute  large  amounts. 
Besides  this,  some  cities  publish  the  subscriptions  of 
the  previous  year,  and  so  give  mention  to  those  who 
have  increased  their  contribution. 

2.  Pocket  Editions 

In  the  last  few  years,  pocket  editions  have  been  sub- 
stituted for  the  usual  quarto  size,  and  outside  of  the 
statistical  and  financial  statements  of  the  organization, 
only  a  few  pages  are  devoted  to  the  description  of  the 
activities.  Other  information  is  inserted,  calculated  to 
induce  the  subscriber  to  carry  the  report  in  his  vest 
pocket  and  use  it  for  propaganda. 


56  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

3.  The  Daily  Press 

Some  cities  use  the  daily  press  and  other  publications 
in  which  they  periodically  insert  accounts  of  their 
activities  and  even  the  names  and  amounts  of  their 
contributors  and  contributions.  Other  organizations 
issue  their  own  bulletins  for  the  use  of  their  subscribers. 

4.  Moving  Pictures 

In  this  discussion  of  publicity,  we  cannot  help  men- 
tioning the  newest  departure  in  fund  raising,  used  by 
the  Federation  of  Jewish  Charities  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York,  where  the  motion  picture  was  used  as  a  medium 
in  a  fund-raising  campaign.  This,  naturally,  carries  pub- 
hcity  to  an  extreme,  and  may,  unless  judiciously  pre- 
sented, do  harm,  injuring  the  very  elements  whom  the 
Charities  are  to  serve. 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  in  the  question  of  rais- 
ing funds  for  philanthropic  purposes,  the  Jewish  char- 
ities have  made  great  strides  and  have  achieved  results 
much  better  than  similar  endeavors  of  non- Jewish 
agencies.  It  is  worth  while  mentioning  that  only  in 
1 9 13,  Cleveland  organized  what  is  known  as  the 
Cleveland  Federation  for  Charity  and  Philanthropy — 
the  principles  of  which  are  modeled  after  the  Federation 
idea  in  vogue  in  Jewish  organizations  for  the  past 
decade.  Similar  movements  are  occurring  in  many 
cities  at  the  present  time. 

N.  Emergency  Funds 
While  under  ordinary  conditions  the  subscription 
method  is  universally  recognized  as  the  most  efiScient, 


METHODS  OF  FUND  RAISING  57 

in  emergencies  there  is  considerable  deviation  from  this 
principle.  In  handling  relief  situations  caused  by 
calamities  like  the  San  Francisco  earthquake,  the 
Chelsea  fire,  or  the  floods  in  the  Ohio  valley,  the  work  is 
usually  delegated  to  the  Red  Cross  Society  and  there 
is  little  done  under  specifically  Jewish  auspices.  How- 
ever, the  great  demand  and  the  unusual  conditions  of 
the  Jews  of  the  War  Zone  at  the  present  time  required 
additional  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  American  Jewry, 
and  special  committees  were  organized  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  funds.  In  this  particular  instance  the  or- 
ganizations dealing  directly  with  Jewish  charitable 
effort  in  this  country  did  not  initiate  this  particular 
movement.  At  first  the  I.  O.  B.  B.  issued  a  call  for 
funds  but  the  response  was  inadequate.  Then  the 
American  Jewish  Committee  organized  its  own  ma- 
chinery and  collected  money  under  its  own  auspices  all 
over  the  United  States.  Almost  simultaneous  with  this 
the  orthodox  element  of  the  Jews  had  organized  another 
committee  known  as  the  Central  Relief  Committee,  and 
this  was  followed  by  a  still  other  organization,  the 
People's  ReHef  Committee,  which  has  chosen  its  sphere 
of  action  among  the  large  masses  of  Jewish  workingmen. 
Within  a  very  short  time  these  three  committees  had 
combined  as  far  as  the  distribution  of  relief  was  con- 
cerned, under  a  composite  organization  known  as  the 
Joint  Distribution  Committee.  It  is  interesting  to 
observe  that  in  this  particular  instance  every  kind  of 
method  was  and  is  being  used  in  raising  funds.  While 
subscriptions  represent  the  larger  donors,  we  find  all 


S8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

different  plans  in  operation,  intended  to  attract  con- 
tributors who  otherwise  would  not  be  ready  to  give 
their  share  toward  the  alleviation  of  the  suffering  of  the 
Jews  in  the  War  Zone.  Thus  concerts,  flower  days, 
entertainments  and  bazaars,  are  quite  in  vogue  for 
raising  funds  for  this  purpose.  Within  two  years  the 
Jews  of  America  have  collected  more  than  $6,000,000 
for  the  relief  of  the  war  sufferers. 

Chapter  Five.     Methods  of  Fund  Raising  for  Jewish 
Philanthropic  Agencies 

Questions 

1.  What  are  the  objections  to  begging? 

2.  Discuss  the  charity  box  method. 

3.  What  is  the  taxation  method  of  raising  funds? 

4.  Discuss  the  endowment  method. 

5.  What  are  the  objections  to  fund  raising  through  spas- 
modic campaigns  and  charity  socials? 

6.  Define  the  Federation  idea. 

7.  Describe  the  advantages  of  Federation  and  its  disadvan- 
tages. 

8.  What  is  the  criterion  of  efficiency  in  raising  funds? 

9.  State  the  methods  of  organizing  a  subscription  system. 

10.  Discuss  the  different  sources  of  funds  of  Jewish  philan- 
thropic activities. 

11.  Describe  different  methods  of  publicity. 


VI 

TRANSIENTS 

The  sine  qua  non  of  Jewish  Charities  is  a  relief 
agency.  There  are  over  seven  hundred  of  these  agen- 
cies, situated  in  the  different  cities  of  the  United  States. 
These  societies  are,  presumably,  to  serve  as  agents  for 
the  various  forms  of  relief  to  the  poor  and  are  expected 
to  come  into  direct  contact  with  the  needy.  While  in 
small  communities,  where  social  intercourse  between 
the  rich  and  the  poor  is  not  so  restricted  as  in  the 
larger  cities,  the  knowledge  of  the  exact  economic  con- 
dition of  a  family  applying  for  assistance  or  requiring 
help  without  an  application  is  a  matter  of  personal 
contact,  in  larger  communities,  with  their  complicated 
system  of  social  relationships,  this  knowledge  of  the 
poor  of  the  community  becomes  a  special  problem  and 
merits  serious  consideration.  While  each  and  every 
case  must  receive  individual  attention  and  more  or  less 
individual  treatment,  still,  in  the  practice  of  a  charity 
relief  office,  applicants  fall  into  certain  classifications 
and  are  treated  accordingly. 

A.  The  Stranger  in  the  Past 

The  most  striking  distinction  in  the  treatment  of 
cases  arises  in  the  method  of  handHng  transient  cases 
as  contrasted  with  the  treatment  of  residents.     In 

59 


6o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

former  times,  the  stranger  was  the  most  welcome  ap- 
phcant  for  assistance.  No  stranger  was  allowed  to 
depart  without  proper  allowances.  Every  Jewish 
home  was  open  to  him.  There  he  found  food  and 
lodging.  There  he  was  the  guest  of  the  family,  and  if 
he  was  to  proceed  to  other  localities,  he  was  assisted  in 
continuing  his  journey.  The  stranger  would  be  met 
on  the  way,  and  he  would  not  be  asked  any  questions 
as  to  his  name  or  condition  until  his  first  needs  were 
satisfied.  (Gen.  R.  xxiv,  3.)  The  rabbis  quote  as 
models  of  hospitahty,  Abraham  and  Job,  the  doors  of 
whose  houses  were  open  at  each  of  the  four  corners, 
so  that  strangers  coming  from  any  direction  might  find 
ready  access.    (Gen.  R.  xlviii,  7  et  seq.) 

In  the  middle  ages,  the  itinerant  students  were  dis- 
tributed among  the  households  of  the  towns,  and  a 
system  of  pleten,  that  is,  Billeten,  bills  for  which  the 
poor  traveler  received  meals  and  lodging  at  a  house- 
hold was  introduced. 

B.  The  Modern  Conception 

Under  present  conditions,  such  a  patriarchal  arrange- 
ment would  be  difficult  to  imagine.  Charity,  once 
private,  direct,  indiscriminate,  is  delegated  to  special 
agencies,  and  the  entire  attitude  is  changed.  The 
stranger  is  no  longer  considered  a  legitimate  charge 
to  the  community.  We  begin  to  realize  that  each 
community  must  care  for  its  own  indigents,  and  that 
the  passing  on  of  applicants  for  relief  is  not  a  fair 
proposition.    It  means,  as  a  rule,  additional  hardships 


TRANSIENTS  6i 

upon  the  dependents,  and  prevents  constructive  work. 
In  addition,  this  indiscriminate  rehef  based  upon  the 
principle  of  "hospitality  to  the  stranger"  promotes 
"wanderlust"  and  creates  a  special  class  of  paupers, 
the  traveling  beggar,  who,  in  the  extreme,  becomes  a 
confirmed  tramp, — a  man  without  a  home  and  without 
a  desire  to  acquire  one.  This  passing  on  creates  a 
psychological  condition  in  which  a  person  can  do  noth- 
ing continuously,  has  no  thought  for  the  future,  has  no 
ambition,  energy,  or  plan  in  life. 

C.  The  Passing-on  Policy 

The  ever  growing  numbers  of  these  kinds  of  appli- 
cants in  the  experience  of  organized  Jewish  charities 
became  alarming;  it  was  therefore  thought  expedient 
to  propose  and  to  inaugurate  measures  which  would 
eliminate  the  passing  on  of  dependents  from  place  to 
place.  It  had  become  an  almost  universal  practice  to 
supply  transportation  to  the  needy  to  some  other  city. 
In  quite  a  number  of  instances,  communities  have 
attempted  to  relieve  themselves  of  the  burden  of  a 
permanent  dependency  by  shipping  the  dependent  to 
some  other  city.  Then,  too,  the  number  of  itinerant 
apphcants  to  charity  became  so  great  that  it  caused 
just  alarm  on  the  part  of  many  communities,  especially 
the  communities  in  the  Middle  West.  This  situation 
was  one  of  the  causes  leading  to  the  formation  of  the 
National  Conference  of  Jewish  Chanties,  and  received 
a  good  deal  of  consideration  at  the  first  conference 
which  was  held  in  Chicago.    The  constituent  societies 


62  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

of  the  Conference  adopted  resolutions  condemning  the 
practice  of  forwarding  dependents  from  city  to  city, 
and  also  agreed  upon  certain  regulations  which  should 
control  the  providing  of  transportation. 

D.  The  Transportation  Ruxes 

This  agreement  is  expressed  in  the  so-called  Trans- 
portation Rules  of  the  Conference,  which  have  since 
become  the  guiding  principle  in  the  work  of  the  relief 
agencies  of  the  country.     These  Rules  were  as  follows: 

1.  A  transient  shall  mean  any  person  (including  his  family) 
who  shall  have  become  a  charge  upon  the  city  where  he  may  be, 
within  nine  months  of  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  that  city,  unless 
he  shaU  have  become  dependent  through  unavoidable  accident. 

2.  A  telegraphic  code  shall  be  used  for  the  prompt  and  eco- 
nomical exchange  of  information  regarding  the  transportation 
between  the  constituent  associations,  and  each  association  agrees 
and  binds  itself  to  reply  to  all  inquiries  submitted  to  it  as  soon 
as  the  necessary  investigation  can  be  made. 

3.  No  applicant  for  transportation  shall  be  forwarded  from 
one  city  to  another,  nor  shall  half  rate  tickets,  paid  for  by  the 
applicant,  be  furnished,  without  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
city  of  destination,  but  should  the  applicant  be  a  transient  within 
the  meaning  as  above  defined,  he  may  be  returned  to  the  city 
where  he  last  resided  not  as  a  transient,  or  to  any  other  city 
where  transportation  shall  have  been  furnished  him,  in  neither 
case  at  the  expense  of  the  city  to  which  he  shall  have  been  re- 
turned, provided  that  statement  as  to  residence  shall  have  been 
verified. 

4.  The  initial  city  shall  in  all  cases  furnish  transportation 
through  to  the  city  of  destination.  In  the  event  of  any  violation 
of  this  rule,  the  receiving  city  shall,  at  its  option,  after  investiga- 


TRANSIENTS  6$ 

tion,  transport  the  applicant  to  his  destination  or  to  the  city 
from  which  he  came,  at  the  cost  of  the  initial  city. 

5.  Any  woman  wishing  to  seek  or  desiring  to  join  her  husband 
shall  not  be  assisted  with  transportation  under  any  circumstances 
without  the  consent  of  the  city  where  it  is  claimed  that  the 
husband  resides. 

6.  Any  violations  or  disputes  or  misunderstandings  between 
constituent  associations  under  these  rules  shall  be  referred  to 
the  executive  committee,  who  shall  investigate  the  same,  and 
whose  decision  shall  be  final  and  binding. 

The  telegraphic  code  referred  to  in  the  rules  has 
sunk  into  disuse,  due  to  the  reduced  rates  for  telegraphic 
communications.  The  rules,  however,  proved  to  be 
of  great  value  in  their  practical  application.  They 
were,  on  the  whole,  strictly  observed  by  all  the  socie- 
ties, and  violations  became  more  and  more  rare.  The 
transportation  agreement  was  dedicated  to  the  proposi- 
tion of  eliminating  the  practice  of  forwarding  tran- 
sients in  the  full  meaning  of  the  word. 

E.  Extension  of  the  Transportation  Rules 

Further  experience,  however,  proved  that  this  rule 
could  be  applied  also  where  a  dependent  individual  or 
family  was  sent  from  one  city  to  another  with  the 
bona  fide  intention  of  solving  the  problem  of  dependency 
in  the  case,  wherefore  in  a  number  of  cases,  dififerences 
between  the  constituent  associations  arose;  these  dif- 
ferences were  finally  brought  to  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Conference,  which  appointed  a  standing 
transportation  committee,  to  decide  the  merits  of  the 


64  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

controversies.  The  decisions  of  this  committee  which 
form  interesting  material  depicting  compHcated  and 
recondite  problems  in  charity  work,  serve  as  amend- 
ments to  the  original  rules. 

F.  Special  Decisions 
Nmnber  One.    S.  versus  E. 

Decision:  Justice  to  the  communities  in  the  health  resorts  re- 
quires that  no  families  be  furnished  with  transportation 
unless  the  investigation  is  first  had  and  permission  ob- 
tained. 

Number  Two.    L.  versus  P.  and 
Number  Three.    L.  versus  N. 

Decision:  When  an  appHcant,  being  a  transient,  applies  for 
assistance  in  any  city,  such  city  may  return  him  at  its  own 
expense  to  the  city  where  he  really  belongs.  A.nswers  to 
inquiries  must  be  definite,  and  if  evasive,  a  counter-inquiry 
should  be  sent. 

Number  Four.    C.  versus  T. 

Decision:  A  city  is  responsible  for  sending  a  family  to  another 
city  with  the  intention  of  forwarding  the  family  to  Denver, 
though  the  case  may  be  transient  and  originally  coming 
from  a  city  which  does  not  belong  to  the  National  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities. 

Number  Five.  L.  versus  C.  and 
E.  versus  F. 

Decision:  A  case  sent  by  the  Industrial  Removal  Office  does  not 
become  a  resident  of  the  city  before  the  expiration  of  nine 
months;  no  matter  what  the  mutual  agreement  of  the  In- 
dustrial Removal  Office  and  the  city  may  be.  An  iUness 
that  develops  from  causes  not  existing  at  the  time  of  resi- 


TRANSIENTS  6$ 

dence  in  the  former  home  is  to  be  deemed  an  unavoidable 
accident  within  the  meaning  of  Rule  i.  A  suburban  lo- 
cality, whether  technically  a  part  of  the  city  or  separate 
municipalities  in  the  same  county  or  state,  or  even  in  an- 
other state,  is  a  locality  for  practical  purposes,  as  far  as  the 
Jews  are  concerned,  forms  a  metropolitan  community,  and 
should  be  considered  as  such  within  the  meaning  of  the 
transportation  rules. 

Number  Six.    L.  versus  C. 

Decision:  Excuse  of  a  community  that  its  finances  would  not 
permit  sending  of  the  dependent  to  the  place  of  destination, 
and  therefore  the  transportation  was  granted  to  a  nearer 
point  is  to  be  considered  as  a  clear  violation  of  the  rules. 

Number  Seven.    D.  versus  G. 

Decision:  A  city  is  responsible  for  sending  a  woman  and  her 
children  to  join  her  husband  although  she  had  a  letter  from 
her  husband  that  he  was  willing  and  able  to  support  the 
family. 

Number  Eight.    L.  versus  M. 

Decision:  The  officials  of  a  society  may  properly  feel  that  the 
best  interests  of  the  applicant  require  that  transportation 
be  furnished,  irrespective  of  the  consent  or  approval  of  the 
city  of  destination,  and  if  such  an  applicant  thereafter 
becomes  a  charge  upon  the  latter  organization,  the  former 
should  cheerfully  reimburse.  For  the  purposes  of  promot- 
ing harmony  it  may  at  times  be  well  to  overlook  trifling 
or  minor  infractions  of  the  rules,  and  it  may  be  doubted 
whether  it  is  good  policy  for  an  organization  to  claim  com- 
pensation in  each  and  every  case. 

Number  Nine.    C.  versus  R. 

Decision:  No  organization  should  be  held  liable  or  responsible 
because  a  citizen  of  its  community  chooses  to  seek  a  new 


66  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

field  of  activity  unaided  and  becomes  an  applicant  for 
relief  in  some  strange  city.  But  when  such  citizen  is  as- 
sisted to  leave,  the  organization  so  aiding  him,  without  the 
consent  of  some  responsible  organization  in  the  city  of  his 
destination,  must  be  held  to  assume  the  chance  of  his  be- 
coming an  applicant  for  charity  elsewhere,  and  if  this  does 
happen,  to  be  responsible  for  the  expense.  These  expenses 
must  be  limited  to  the  amount  that  it  would  cost  to  trans- 
port the  applicant  to  his  home  city. 

Number  Ten.    C.  versus  B. 

Decision:  Members  of  the  Conference  should  be  solicitous  to 
convey  to  one  another  the  fullest  information  on  cases 
under  consideration.  The  mere  consent  to  transportation 
does  not  imply  an  agreement  to  accept  a  person  as  a  citizen 
and  charge  upon  the  conununity. 

It  operates  solely  as  a  waiver  to  the  right  to  be  indemni- 
fied against  expense.  It  does  not  refuse  the  city  granting 
permission  from  returning  the  applicant  at  its  own  expense 
in  the  event  that  he  should  become  dependent  during  the 
period  in  which  he  would  otherwise  be  considered  a  tran- 
sient. 

Number  Eleven.    B.  versus  M. 

Decision:  There  seems  to  be  no  power  vested  in  the  Committee 
or  in  the  Conference  to  enforce  the  payment  of  what  seems 
to  be  the  legal  and  moral  obligation  of  a  city.  The  Trans- 
portation Rules  are  a  gentleman's  agreement,  and  are  bind- 
ing only  in  honor. 

Number  Twelve.    B.  versus  M. 

Decision:  If  a  man  lives  in  a  city  even  more  than  nine  months 
but  his  family  is  residing  in  another  city,  he  is  still  not  to 
be  considered  a  resident,  and  when  his  family  arrives,  it 
remains  transient  for  the  period  of  nine  months. 


TRANSIENTS  67 

It  is  quite  evident  from  the  examples  just  quoted 
above  that  judicial  interpretation  of  transportation 
rules  has  considerably  extended  the  original  scope  and 
intention.  Primarily  adopted  to  eliminate  the  vicious 
passing  on  of  dependents  from  city  to  city,  the  rules 
are  now  applied  to  cases  where  the  dependent  is  not 
merely  a  transient  (in  the  original  connotation  of  the 
term)  but  also  where  the  dependent  is  sent  to  another 
locahty  with  the  expectation  that  the  subjective  cause 
for  dependency  may  be  eradicated,  and  that  the  case 
may  become  self-sustaining.  There  can  be  little  doubt 
that  the  rules  have  effectively  curtailed,  if  not  entirely 
eliminated,  the  passing  on  of  transients,  but  the  ques- 
tion is  now,  however,  as  to  how  far  the  responsibility 
of  a  city  extends  in  regard  to  its  dependents,  and  how 
long  is  it  responsible  for  the  care  of  its  charges,  even 
when  those  charges  are  removed  to  other  cities.  For 
example,  when  a  family  is  sent  to  a  community  known 
as  a  health  resort,  and  after  the  family  becomes  self- 
supporting,  how  long  must  it  remain  in  the  city  in  the 
self-sustaining  position  to  acquire  residence,  and  how 
long  will  it  take  to  release  the  sending  city  of  its  re- 
sponsibility for  the  care  of  the  family?  Further,  where 
the  time  required  by  municipalities  and  states  for 
establishing  a  residence  is  not  co-terminous  with  the 
nine  months'  period  as  provided  by  the  transportation 
agreement,  what  shall  be  the  responsibilities  of  the 
cities  concerned? 

The  Industrial  Removal  Office  cases  oJQter  still  further 
difficulties.     The  above  enumerated  difficulties  were 


68  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

not  foreseen  in  1902,  when  the  present  rules  were 
drawn  up  and  adopted.  The  subsequent  rulings  are 
rather  indefinite  and  vague.  It  is  now  felt,  in  some 
quarters,  that  a  new  code  should  be  adopted  to  meet 
the  demands  for  regulating  and  defining  precisely 
the  responsibility  of  a  city  with  regard  to  its  dependents 
that  are  not  residents  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word. 
At  the  Memphis  conference,  in  May,  19 14,  the  Con- 
ference passed  upon  certain  aspects  of  the  situation, 
and  a  Committee  was  appointed  to  revise  the  transpor- 
tation rules,  adapting  them  to  the  present  conditions. 
At  the  conference  in  Indianapolis  in  19 16  the  following 
were  finally  adopted  as  amendments. 

G.  New  Transportation  Rules  Adopted  at  the 
National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities, 
Indianapolis,  19 16 

1.  (a)  A  transient  shall  mean  any  person  (including  his 
family)  who  shall  apply  for  aid  or  become  a  charge  upon  the 
charities  of  the  city  where  he  may  be  within  one  year  of  the  time 
of  his  arrival  in  that  city,  unless  he  shall  have  become  dependent 
through  unavoidable  accident,  in  which  shall  be  included  illness 
developing  from  causes  not  existing  at  time  of  residence  in 
former  home. 

(b)  Within  the  meaning  of  the  Transportation  Rules  all 
suburban  localities  which  for  practical  purposes  are  parts  of  the 
metropolitan  community  and  which  have  no  Jewish  organized 
charities  of  their  own  are  to  be  considered  part  of  that  city. 

2.  A  telegraphic  code  shall  be  used  for  the  prompt  and  eco- 
nomical exchange  of  information  regarding  transportation  be- 
tween the  constituent  associations  and  each  association  agrees 
and  binds  itself  to  reply  to  all  inquiries  submitted  to  it  as  soon 


TRANSIENTS  69 

as  the  necessary  investigations  can  be  made.  Any  city  failing 
to  respond  with  reasonable  promptness  to  inquiries  from  other 
cities  may  be  held  Hable  for  expenses  incurred  through  delay. 

3.  (a)  No  applicant  for  transportation  shall  be  forwarded 
from  one  city  to  another:  nor  shall  half-rate  tickets  paid  for  by 
apphcants  be  furnished:  nor  shall  transportation  in  whole  or  in 
part  be  requested  on  behalf  of  applicant  from  railroads  or  other 
organizations:  nor  shall  cash  relief  be  granted  to  enable  appU- 
cant  to  purchase  transportation  at  charity  rate  or  full  fare,  with- 
out the  advice  and  consent  of  the  city  of  destination. 

(b)  Any  transient  within  the  meaning  as  above  defined  may 
be  returned  to  the  city  of  his  last  legal  residence,  the  cost  of 
transportation  to  be  borne  by  returning  city,  excepting  in  the 
event  that  transportation  to  that  city  shall  have  been  furnished 
by  the  city  of  origin,  in  which  case  he  shall  be  returned  at  the 
expense  of  the  city  of  origin. 

(c)  Persons  who  have  become  dependent  or  have  applied  for 
aid  within  one  year  of  the  time  of  their  arrival  may  be  returned 
to  the  city  of  origin  at  any  time  thereafter  at  the  expense  of  the 
returning  city,  whose  consent  to  receive  family  is  not  a  waiver 
of  the  right  to  return. 

(d)  Whenever  transportation  is  furnished,  even  if  paid  for 
by  the  applicant,  notice  shall  be  sent  to  the  city  of  destination. 

4.  The  initial  city  shall  in  all  cases  furnish  transportation 
through  to  the  city  of  destination.  In  the  event  of  any  violation 
of  this  rule,  the  receiving  city  shall  at  its  own  option,  after 
investigation,  transport  the  appUcant  to  his  destination  or  to 
the  city  from  which  he  came  at  the  cost  of  the  initial  city. 

5.  Any  woman  wishing  to  seek  or  desiring  to  join  her  husband 
shall  not  be  assisted  with  transportation  without  the  consent 
of  the  city  where  it  is  claimed  her  husband  resides. 

6.  Any  violations,  disputes  or  misunderstandings  between 
constituent  associations  under  these  rules  shall  be  referred  to 
the  Transportation  Committee  of  the  National  Conference  of 
Jewish  Charities,  who  shall  investigate  the  same,  and  whose 


70  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

decision  shall  be  final  and  binding.  It  shall  also  be  possible  for 
organizations  to  submit  to  this  Committee  the  facts  in  doubtful 
cases  for  advice  before  action  is  taken. 

Rules  Adopted  1914 

1.  A  deserter  cannot  acquire  residence  away  from  his  family, 
even  though  the  family  be  cognizant  of  his  whereabouts. 

(A  deserter  within  the  meaning  of  the  Transportation  Rules 
shall  be  any  person  who  leaves  his  home  city  and  in  his  absence 
wilfully  fails  to  provide  for  his  wife  and  children.) 

2.  Persons  sent  by  the  Industrial  Removal  Office  to  any  city 
shall  acquire  residence  in  the  meaning  of  the  Transportation 
Rules  from  the  moment  of  their  arrival  at  destination. 

The  committee  further  suggests  the  following: 

1.  That  the  Transportation  Rules  finally  adopted  by  the 
1916  Conference,  together  with  a  digest  of  all  decisions  rendered, 
be  published  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  all  members  of  the 
Conference. 

2.  That  a  digest  of  all  transportation  decisions  of  each  year 
be  published  once  every  year  by  the  Conference. 

3.  That,  through  the  ofl&ce  of  the  Field  Secretary  or  in  some 
other  way,  the  Conference  enlist  the  membership  of  the  Or- 
ganized Jewish  Charities  in  non-member  communities  in  order 
that  it  may  be  possible  to  secure  widespread  observance  of  the 
letter  and  the  spirit  of  the  Transportation  Rules. 

4.  That,  if  possible  through  the  Field  Secretary,  national 
registration  of  transient  persons  and  families  be  effected,  this 
to  include  special  work  with  Jewish  Shelter  Houses  throughout 
the  country. 

H.    Violations  of  the  Transportation  Rules  by 
Outside  Agencies 

Although  the  indiscriminate  passing  on  from  city 
to  city  has  practically  ceased  on  the  part  of  organized 


TRANSIENTS  71 

effort,  there  remains,  however,  a  great  deal  yet  to  be 
corrected  in  this  regard.  The  existing  organizations 
as  shelter  homes,  Hacknosis  Orchim, — and  there  are 
about  thirty-two  of  them, — frequently  refuse  to  recog- 
nize the  wisdom  of  the  proposed  regulations,  and  make 
private  subscriptions  for  the  transportation  of  transient 
dependents,  despite  the  strict  policy  of  organized  agen- 
cies. Frequently  the  synagogue,  still  cHnging  to  the 
old  maxim  of  indiscriminate  assistance  to  the  stranger, 
procures  funds  and  helps  the  transient  to  get  to  another 
city  by  the  old  vicious  route.  Again,  small  communi- 
ties, not  constituent  societies  of  the  National  Confer- 
ence, are  indifferent  to  the  rules  controlling  the  distribu- 
tion of  transportation.  Although  the  transportation 
rules  have  had  a  decidedly  salutary  effect  upon  the 
transients  who  apply  for  relief,  the  problem  is  not  en- 
tirely solved.  While  it  can  be  safely  stated  that  there 
are  no  transients  on  account  of  the  Rules,  there  are, 
however,  a  great  number  of  transients  in  spite  of  the 
Rules.     Their  treatment  merits  serious  consideration. 

I.  Hachnosis  Orchim 

In  the  treatment  of  transients,  the  institutions  of 
"Hachnosis  Orchim"  play  an  important  part.  A  great 
number  of  large  cities  have  special  shelter  homes  for  the 
temporary  cases  of  transients,  organized  and  main- 
tained, in  most  cases,  by  the  Orthodox  constituency. 
The  largest  of  these  institutions  is  that  of  New  York, 
where  it  is  operated  in  connection  with  the  Hebrew 
Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society  of  America,  and 


72  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

is  primarily  intended  for  the  care  of  the  recently  arrived 
immigrant.  This  institution  has  modem  accommoda- 
tions and  sanitary  appointments.  In  the  interior  cities, 
the  Hachnosis  Orchim  are  open  to  all  strangers,  men, 
women,  and  children.  They  represent  a  very  primitive 
arrangement,  and  are,  as  a  rule,  lacking  in  all  necessary 
sanitary  accommodations.  The  management  of  these 
institutions  is  vested  in  a  board,  and  the  stranger,  by 
applying  to  either  the  individual  members  of  the  Board 
or  to  a  specially  assigned  member,  receives  a  ticket  en- 
titling him  to  one  or  more  days'  shelter  and  board.  The 
manager  of  the  Hachnosis  Orchim  is  usually  the  janitor, 
his  wife  serving  as  cook  and  matron.  In  some  cities  the 
relief  societies  of  the  Federation  utilize  the  facilities  of 
the  shelter  home  for  their  applicants,  and  in  this  case 
pay  a  certain  amount  to  the  shelter  homes  for  main- 
tenance. The  buildings  of  the  Hachnosis  Orchim  are 
either  rented,  or,  even  if  owned  by  the  organization,  are 
not  especially  adapted  for  the  purpose  they  serve. 
Very  few  of  them  are  supplied  with  bathing  facilities; 
there  are  no  provisions  made  for  the  fumigation  of 
clothing;  in  many  instances  the  beds  are  shared  by  two 
or  even  three  lodgers,  and  in  general  the  entire  regime  is 
far  from  being  modem.  Very  few  of  these  institutions 
keep  any  records  of  their  constituency,  and  only  in  a 
few  instances  do  they  co-operate  with  the  organized 
effort  of  the  city.  An  attempt  has  been  made  to  or- 
ganize and  concentrate  the  work  of  the  various  shelter 
homes.  Initiated  by  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immi- 
grant Aid  Society  of  America,  the  first  convention  took 


TRANSIENTS  73 

place  in  New  York  City  in  July,  191 1,  but  results  have 
yet  to  materialize. 

J.  Professionals 

Transients  fall  into  one  of  four  categories.  The 
first  class  is  composed  of  the  professional.  From 
time  immemorial,  the  Jews  were  blessed  with  a  specific 
class,  who  made  it  a  business  to  go  on  the  road  and  to 
live  upon  the  generosity  and  sympathy  of  their  co- 
religionists. Sometimes  they  gave  in  return  the  prod- 
ucts of  their  knowledge  in  the  shape  of  discourses  and 
lectures  (Droshes).  At  other  times,  they  offered 
merely  their  companionship.  The  traveling  rabbi, 
preacher,  and  chazan,  should  not  be  classed  with  the 
genuine  tramp,  although  they  do  make  a  practice  of 
going  from  place  to  place,  depending  upon  charity. 
They,  in  their  turn,  can  be  subdivided.  First  comes  the 
rabbi  or  chazan,  who  has  acquired  his  profession 
abroad,  and  who  has  emigrated  in  the  hope  of  securing 
a  position  where  he  can  utilize  his  learning  and  talents. 
He  is  often  disappointed  at  his  first  destination,  usually 
New  York  City  or  Chicago,  and  then  commences  his 
weary  march  to  smaller  communities  in  search  of  a 
pulpit.  Often  he  is  tempted  upon  the  road  by  an  adver- 
tisement in  one  of  the  Jewish  newspapers;  again,  his 
traveling  may  be  incited  by  the  advice  of  a  friend  who 
claims  to  know  of  an  opening.  He  is  never  a  skilled 
mechanic,  nor  has  he  ever  done  any  manual  labor  at 
which  he  might  earn  a  livelihood. 

Some  of  these  traveling  rabbis  or  chazanim  possess 


74  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

vast  knowledge  in  their  special  field  and  an  excellent 
delivery.  Others  may  have  superb  musical  ability. 
They  speak  or  sing  in  a  synagogue  where  a  collection  is 
made  and  are  invited  to  return.  Some  have  regular 
routes,  which  they  periodically  cover.  Frequently, 
they  strike  a  vacancy  and  make  a  settlement.  They 
are  not  a  dependent  class  as  such,  but  consider  them- 
selves entitled  to  reduced  transportation  rates  and  free 
meals  and  lodgings  wherever  they  may  be.  Others  of 
these  traveling  rabbis  or  chazanim  have  permanent 
locations,  but  travel  periodically  to  augment  their 
meager  earnings.  The  constant  shifting  of  rabbis, 
chazanim,  and  even  shochetim  contributes  in  no  small 
extent  to  the  number  of  persons  of  this  profession  who 
follow  the  road. 

In  this,  as  in  every  other  profession,  there  are  im- 
postors,— rabbis  who  are  ignorant,  teachers  who  know 
nothing  about  teaching,  and  chazanim  who  cannot  sing. 
This  is  rather  an  annoying  situation,  but  as  long  as 
there  is  no  other  way  to  discriminate  except  by  per- 
sonal contact,  the  orthodox  constituency  wiU  have  to 
stand  the  risk  of  being  duped.  It  is  becoming  a  prac- 
tice, however,  to  refuse  the  privilege  of  the  pulpit  to 
strangers  until  they  have  proven  their  merits.  A  better 
organization  of  our  synagogues,  an  absolute  refusal  to 
permit  the  traveler  the  use  of  the  pulpit,  unless  by 
previous  engagement  through  a  central  agency,  are 
possible  ways  to  reduce  the  number  who  are  dependent 
upon  charity.  Then  the  situation  will  be  easily  con- 
trolled, and  the  traveling  chazan  will  be  considered  just 


TRANSIENTS  75 

as  legitimate  a  proposition  as  the  visiting  theatrical 
troupe,  or  the  debut  of  the  renowned  Sirota. 

Meanwhile,  it  is  deplorable  to  observe  that  this  class 
of  dependents  is,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  treated  in  the 
same  manner  as  other  transients.  Private  homes  do  not 
offer  them  shelter,  and  they  are  seldom  invited  to  a 
meal.  In  cities  where  there  are  shelter  homes  they  are 
referred  as  strangers  to  these  institutions,  there  to  mingle 
with  the  indigent  sick,  suffering  with  tuberculosis,  or 
some  other  highly  communicable  disease.  Besides,  the 
moral  contact  is  not  in  all  cases  productive  of  good.  It 
is  pathetic  to  see  to  what  risks  these  unfortunates  are 
put,  due  to  indiscriminate  methods  of  what  may  be 
called  organized  effort  in  philanthropy. 

K.  Temporary  Dependent  Transients 

The  second  class,  temporary  dependent  transients, 
including  a  number  of  recently  arrived  immigrants,  who 
because  lacking  in  knowledge  of  the  language  or  in  other 
ways  handicapped  are  induced  by  friends,  upon  whom 
they  happen  to  have  fallen  as  a  burden,  to  try  their 
fortune  in  some  other  city.  They  are  usually  supplied 
with  transportation,  and  the  rest  is  left  to  the  philan- 
thropic agencies  in  the  separate  localities.  Often,  this 
type  of  transient  is  attempting  to  reach  a  town  where 
he  expects  to  meet  an  acquaintance,  or  relative,  or 
"landsman"  who  he  hopes  will  care  for  him  until  he 
has  secured  work.  It  is  reasonable  that  this  new  arrival 
is  easily  satisfied,  his  standards  are  low,  and  he  is 
usually  contented  with  very  little, — a  few  meals,  some 


76  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

clothing,  a  night's  lodging,  and  a  few  cents  to  enable  him 
to  continue  his  journey  is  all  he  expects  from  a  com- 
munity. A  frightened  figure,  he  presents  a  very  pitiable 
aspect  of  maladjustment.  Organized  effort  has  very 
little  to  do  with  these,  their  special  field  is  the  syn- 
agogue and  a  few  orthodox  famiUes.  They  are  most 
emphatically  not  of  the  tramp  type.  Most  of  them  have 
famihes  abroad,  and  are  only  too  anxious  to  settle  down, 
and  to  send  their  earnings,  no  matter  how  m.eager,  to 
their  famihes.  They  change  from  place  to  place,  no  one 
wants  them,  and  they  are  not  in  position  to  settle  down. 
These  transients  are  easily  reclaimed.  All  that  is 
necessary  is  a  job,  which  will  enable  them  to  exist  here 
and  to  send  some  money  abroad  to  parents  or  wife. 
They  should,  by  all  means,  be  discouraged  from  travel- 
ing, for  once  the  habit  becomes  ingrained,  it  is  hard  to 
surmount.  This  is  especially  typified  by  some  of  the  In- 
dustrial Removal  Office  cases.  Sent  to  an  interior  city, 
they  frequently  leave  it,  endeavoring  to  find  better 
opportunities  in  other  localities.  Frequently,  in  recent 
arrivals,  we  find  cases  of  "nostalgia."  Nothing  but  a 
change  will  satisfy.  This  is,  however,  a  purely  fancied 
condition,  and  should  be  discouraged.  Frequently, 
however,  the  transient  is  reduced  to  his  present  condi- 
tion by  a  false  promise  or  an  expectation  of  work  that 
did  not  materialize.  Some  are  brought  out  by  employ- 
ment agencies,  and  put  to  work  on  railroads  or  mines, 
frequently  while  a  strike  is  going  on,  from  which  they 
usually  escape  and  begin  their  weary  march.  An  exam- 
ple is  a  Russian  student,  who  beat  his  way  to  Cincin- 


TRANSIENTS  77 

nati  from  the  mines,  on  a  freight  train.  Eating  nothing 
for  two  days  but  coffee  grains  which  he  found  in  the  box 
car,  he  was  ahnost  famished.  One  year  later  he  was 
part  owner  in  the  hot  tomale  trust — in  Cincinnati  an 
industry  in  the  hands  of  the  Russian  immigrants. 

L.  Sick  and  Defective 

The  traveUng  defective,  cripple,  or  person  suffering 
with  a  contagious  disease,  presents  a  pitiful  sight. 
This  traveling  is  frequently  encouraged  by  communi- 
ties which,  in  the  effort  to  get  rid  of  these  dependents, 
supply  them  with  transportation  to  the  next  available 
city.    Often  they  bring  letters,  recommending  pity. 

The  traveling  consumptive  is  a  pitiable  sight.  Be- 
tween 1896  and  191 1,  fifty-five  transients  afflicted  wdth 
tuberculosis  applied  to  the  United  Jewish  Charities  of 
Cincinnati.  Many  of  these  were  neglected  cases  of 
other  communities.  There  were  also  the  restless  sick, 
who  had  no  patience  to  take  up  the  long  and  tedious 
course  of  treatment,  and  again,  those  who  were  mak- 
ing their  way,  either  to  Colorado  and  CaHfornia,  or 
to  other  places  renowned  for  the  climatic  treatment 
of  tuberculosis,  or  those  who  were  on  their  homeward 
journey  from  these  locahties  after  a  fruitless  search 
for  health.  Some  had  been  compelled  to  give  up  the 
cure  because  of  lack  of  funds.  All  were  miserable  and 
helpless,  most  of  them  in  advanced  stages  of  the  dis- 
ease, the  large  majority  assuming  all  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  repulsive  tramp.  Four  of  these  unfortunates 
found  their  graves  in  Cincinnati;  many  of  them  having 


78  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

received  temporary  assistance,  failed  to  return;  some 
were  sent  to  their  destinations  where  they  belonged; 
one  was  sent  to  Russia;  six  were  sent  to  the  National 
Hospital  for  Consumptives;  nine  were  placed  in  the 
Branch  Hospital  in  Cincinnati.  Of  all  the  above  fifty- 
five  cases,  there  is  only  one  who  is  known  to  be  self- 
supporting  now  in  Cincinnati.  The  rest  have  either 
died  or  their  fates  are  unknown.  Some  probably  are 
still  drifting  around,  others  may  be  cured.  The  drifters 
are  lost  souls,  strangers  and  still  suffering  brethren — 
the  unlovable  and  the  human — they  are  the  results 
of  neglectful  communities  and  they  constitute  a  chal- 
lenge to  organized  philanthropy. 

In  all  these  cases  of  transients,  we  are  dealing  with 
causes  over  which,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  the 
individual  has  no  control,  and  for  which  he  is  not  to 
be  held  responsible.  Although  every  case  presents 
some  pecuhar  angle,  making  the  treatment  of  great 
significance,  there  are,  nevertheless,  great  possibilities 
of  rehabihtation,  of  real  help,  of  saving  life  and  pre- 
venting unnecessary  waste  to  society.  The  more  per- 
sonal attention  the  individual  receives,  the  better  are 
his  chances  of  ultimate  reclamation.  It  is  sadly  true, 
that  even  among  these  enumerated  classes  of  transients, 
there  are  quite  frequently  impostors.  However,  the 
benefit  of  the  doubt  should  always  be  given  the  de- 
pendent. The  burden  of  proof  is  always  with  the 
charitable  agency.  It  is  far  better  for  any  philan- 
thropic agency  to  be  duped  repeatedly  than  that  one 
deserving  individual  should  be  mistreated.    Moreover, 


TRANSIENTS  79 

it  is  self-evident  that  in  the  treatment  of  these  cases, 
the  specific  Jewish  organization  may  prove  of  great 
value.  It  is  in  a  position  to  handle  the  individual 
cases  better,  it  probably  possesses  greater  facilities  for 
investigation,  securing  of  employment,  co-operation 
with  agencies  in  other  cities,  and  so  forth.  The  Jewish 
organization  can  better  understand  the  recently  arrived 
immigrant.  It  is  in  a  unique  position  to  reconcile 
families,  and  is  usually  able  to  detect  fraud  more 
quickly.  Quite  a  perplexing  problem  is  presented  by 
the  refugee  from  justice.  Frequently  an  applicant 
will  apply  for  assistance  and  claim  that  he  is  either  an 
escaped  prisoner  or  one  who  ran  away  from  his  city  of 
residence  to  avoid  criminal  prosecution.  The  duty 
of  the  social  worker  is  rather  doubtful.  It  lies  between 
the  enforcement  of  Justice  and  the  demand  to  assist 
the  authorities,  and  implies  on  the  other  hand,  a  breach 
of  confidence  toward  the  applicant. 

M.  The  Tramp 

The  fourth  class  is  composed  of  the  true  tramp. 
Extensive  argument  is  not  necessary  to  show  that  this 
category  should  not  be  encouraged  by  charitable  en- 
deavor. No  help  should  be  given  except  an  oppor- 
tunity to  work.  If  no  steady  employment  is  available, 
this  class  should  be  offered  any  manual  labor  to  enable 
it  to  earn  maintenance — just  enough  for  the  bare 
necessities.  The  standard  must  always  be  far  below 
that  offered  to  the  bona  fide  dependent.  The  labor 
yard  where  tramps  can  earn  enough  for  food  and  lodg- 


8o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

ing  is  all  to  which  they  are  entitled.  If  this  treatment 
is  strictly  adhered  to,  in  the  majority  of  cases  they 
forget  their  wanderlust,  and  settle  down  if  legitimate 
employment  is  offered.  At  any  rate,  they  do  not  then 
form  an  undesirable  and  illegitimate  burden  upon  the 
community.  The  tramp  is  the  most  important  part 
of  the  transient  problem.  The  genuine  tramp  is  aptly 
characterized  by  Mrs.  Solenberger  as  a  "class  of  para- 
sites." ^  This  class  contains  the  confirmed  wanderer, 
criminals,  impostors,  begging  letter  writers,  confidence 
men,  etc.,  besides  a  great  number  of  all  kinds  of  chronic 
beggars,  local  vagrants,  and  kindred  types.  While  our 
classification  indicates  sufi&cient  characteristics  to  dis- 
tinguish the  individuals  of  each  class,  it  must  be  re- 
membered that  this  classification  is,  in  the  ultimate 
analysis,  very  arbitrary.  Quite  frequently  we  meet 
with  a  composite  type,  belonging  to  two  or  three 
classes  simultaneously.  Often  it  is  impossible  to 
trace  the  gradual  transition  from  one  class  to  the  one 
below. 

This  class  of  parasite  is  the  most  annoying  problem 
modem  charity  faces.  The  reclamation  of  the  true 
tramp  is  one  of  the  most  thankless  and  hardest  of 
tasks.  Attempts  to  combat  this  evil  are  really  world- 
wide. There  is  no  doubt  that  here  we  are  dealing  with 
psycho-pathological  phenomena.  The  restless  spirit, 
the  desire  to  live  without  labor  and  without  responsi- 
biHty,  the  lack  of  attachment  to  any  social  group  is 
abnormal  and  vicious.  It  is  anti-social  and  dangerous. 
1  Mrs.  Alice  Solenberger,  "One  Thousand  Homeless  Men." 


TRANSIENTS  8i 

Authorities  are  in  accord  that  only  the  most  stringent 
methods  and  delinjte  pohcy  of  handhng  this  class  will 
reduce  the  evil  to  a  minimum. 

In  this  class,  as  well  as  in  the  aforementioned  three 
other  classes,  there  are  some  specific  characteristics 
that  distinguish  the  Jewish  tramp  from  his  non- Jewish 
confreres.  The  Jewish  tramp,  as  a  rule,  takes  it  for 
granted  that  his  co-religionists  owe  him  a  living;  he 
does  not  cherish  the  idea  of  depending  upon  non- 
Jewish  charity,  though  he  is  very  unscrupulous  in 
accepting  assistance.  If  there  is  a  synagogue  he  does 
not  fail  to  appear  there,  in  a  larger  city  he  usually  re- 
mains over  Saturday,  so  as  to  be  sure  to  get  all  he  can 
from  the  pious  Jew  who  comes  to  the  House  of  Worship; 
he  knows  well  that  he  is  welcome  to  the  shelter  home, 
if  there  is  any  in  existence,  and  he  utilizes  the  privilege 
to  the  fullest  extent.  At  last  he  takes  to  organized 
charity,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  scrapes  together 
sufiicient  money  for  railroad  transportation,  at  least 
to  the  next  point,  where  he  can  repeat  his  operations. 
A  Jewish  tramp  does  not  like  the  excitement  of  jump- 
ing trains,  and  while  occasionally  the  use  of  freight 
trains  is  accepted,  as  a  rule,  he  prefers  the  slow  but 
sure  way  of  going  from  one  town  to  another  and  pay- 
ing for  transportation.  He  has  considerable  pride. 
He  objects  to  being  arrested  as  a  vagrant,  and  in  fact, 
does  not  want  to  be  treated  like  a  non- Jew.  Intemper- 
ance plays  a  very  insignificant  part  in  the  life  of  the 
Jewish  tramp,  but  gambling  seems  to  be  an  ever  present 
characteristic. 


82  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Chapter  Six.    Transients 
Questions 

1.  What  was  the  attitude  of  the  Jews  in  the  past  towards 
the  stranger? 

2.  What  is  the  present  attitude,  and  what  caused  the  change? 

3.  What  is  the  "passing-on  poHcy"  and  what  are  the  objec- 
tions to  it? 

4.  What  are  the  transportation  rules  of  the  National  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities? 

5.  Discuss  the  most  important  decisions. 

6.  What  is  the  present  status  of  the  transportation  rules? 

7.  Describe  the  institutions  of  Hachnosis  Orchim. 

8.  Discuss  the  four  categories  of  transients. 


VII 

THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM 

In  accepting  the  rough  classification  of  applicants 
for  relief  on  the  basis  of  length  of  residence  in  the  city, 
into  transients  and  residents,  we  must  also  consider 
as  a  separate  category,  the  recently  arrived  immigrant, 
who  in  length  of  residence  is  not  a  resident,  and  in 
characterization  is  not  a  transient.  In  this  connection 
it  is  interesting  to  note  that  even  the  law  of  the  land  is 
rather  indefinite  on  the  privileges  of  residence  of  the 
stranger  within  our  gates.  Even  after  his  admission 
he  is  not  to  become  a  public  charge,  and  if  he  tempo- 
rarily halts  or  stumbles  in  his  progress  toward  acclima- 
tization, adjustment,  and  naturalization,  he  is  liable  to 
the  dreaded  deportation.  A  humanitarian  interpreta- 
tion of  the  law  is  given  in  practice,  however,  and  gen- 
erally speaking,  only  in  cases  where  the  dependency  is 
of  a  chronic  nature,  or  had  originated  before  immigra- 
tion, is  deportation  resorted  to.  On  the  other  hand, 
from  the  standpoint  of  the  relief  agency,  the  recently 
arrived  immigrant  can  in  no  wise  be  treated  like  a 
transient.  As  a  result,  we  must  add  a  second  class 
called  "Recent  Arrivals"  to  our  rather  arbitrary  di- 
vision. They  present  a  special  field  of  specific  Jewish 
philanthropy,  which  for  want  of  a  better  name  we  may 
term  "first  aid  to  the  immigrant." 

83 


84  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

This  particular  sphere  of  philanthropic  effort  has 
been  especially  well  developed  among  the  Jews  of  the 
United  States,  where,  in  the  beginning,  the  entire  raison 
d'etre  of  Jewish  charity  was  the  helping  of  newly 
arrived  immigrants.  It  is  only  lately  that  the  country 
at  large  has  begun  to  realize  that  the  proper  care  of  the 
immigrant  is  of  great  moment  to  the  commonwealth 
in  general.  We  see  the  different  attempts  to  handle 
the  situation  on  a  national  scale.  For  a  long  time, 
however,  this  care  of  the  stranger  after  he  had  been 
admitted  to  this  country  was  left  to  mere  chance  and 
to  the  S3anpathy  of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  con- 
tact. In  this  regard  the  Jews  have  not  been  back- 
ward in  ameliorating  the  hardships  of  their  co-reli- 
gionists who  came  after  them. 

A.     Early   Jewish   Immigration   to   the   United 

States 

The  first  impetus  for  Jewish  immigration  to  the 
New  World  came  with  the  Spanish  Inquisition.  Im- 
migrating, first  to  South  and  Central  America,  the 
Jews  later  extended  their  objective  points  to  Mexico 
and  the  West  Indies.  In  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
centuries  they  settled  in  parts  which  now  belong  to  the 
United  States.  When,  in  1654,  twenty-four  Jews, 
fugitives  from  the  Portuguese  persecution  in  Brazil, 
arrived  in  New  Amsterdam,  Peter  Stuyvesant,  the 
governor,  applied  to  the  directors  of  the  Dutch  West 
India  Company  for  authority  to  exclude  them.  Since 
large  Jewish  capital  was  invested  in  the  company,  and 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  85 

because  Jews  had  assisted  in  the  conquest  of  Brazil, 
the  directors  promptly  denied  his  request.  The  com- 
pany permitted  the  Jews  to  trade  and  to  settle  in  the 
New  Netherlands,  but  a  year  later  enjoined  the  Jews 
from  building  a  synagogue,  and  somewhat  later,  from 
holding  public  office. 

The  community  at  Newport  owes  its  origin  to  the 
unfriendly  attitude  of  Stuyvesant.  Some  of  the  Jews 
sought  the  kindlier  atmosphere  of  Rhode  Island,  where 
Roger  Williams  had  exerted  his  influence  for  absolute 
freedom  of  conscience.  In  colonial  times,  the  colony  at 
Newport  attracted  the  renowned  rabbis  the  world  over, 
and  before  the  revolution,  numbered  one  thousand, 
one  hundred,  and  seventy-five  Jews. 

The  Jews  seem  to  have  suffered  the  greatest  curtail- 
ments of  their  civil  and  pohtical  rights  in  Maryland. 

In  Georgia,  the  Jews  appeared  immediately  following 
the  first  settlers.  Despite  the  opposition  of  his  trustees 
in  London,  Oglethorpe  saw  no  reason  to  refuse  to  Jews 
admission  to  his  colony,  and  a  number  of  them  were 
included  in  grants  of  public  lands  in  Savannah. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the 
Charleston  Jews  formed  the  most  important  Jewish 
community  in  the  United  States.^ 

B.  Beginnings  of  Jewish  Charity  in  the  United 

States 

There  is  no  doubt  that  even  at  this  early  period  the 
Jews  did  not  neglect  their  brethren  and  endeavored  to 
'  "Jewish  Encyclopaedia,"  Vol.  xii,  "United  States." 


86  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

help  their  co-rehgionists.  Although  most  of  the  Jews  of 
that  time  were  widely  scattered,  we  find  that  as  early  as 
1746,  in  New  York  City,  there  was  a  school  attached  to 
the  existing  synagogue,  where  provision  was  made  for 
the  free  instruction  of  the  children  of  the  poor.  In  those 
days,  the  community  directed  the  administration  of  its 
charities  exclusively  through  its  synagogue  and  other 
congregational  channels.  The  beginning  of  the  or- 
ganization of  independent  Jewish  charities  dates  back 
to  as  early  as  181 2,  when  the  number  of  Jews  in  New 
York  City  was  not  more  than  five  hundred. 

In  the  first  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century,  a  large 
number  of  German  Jewish  immigrants  arrived.  In 
18 1 8,  the  existing  congregation,  Shearith  Israel,  in  New 
York  City,  was  rebuilt,  to  accommodate  the  increasing 
number  of  worshipers,  many  of  them  newly  arrived 
immigrants.  In  1822,  the  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society 
was  organized  with  the  residue  of  a  fund  raised  by 
popular  subscription  two  years  before  for  the  main- 
tenance of  a  poor  Jewish  veteran  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  In  1825,  Sampson  Simpson,  the  first  Jewish 
member  of  the  bar,  was  one  of  the  leaders  in  Jewish 
charitable  work. 

Although  there  was  little  or  no  communal  life,  the 
interest  of  the  Jews  in  their  own  brethren,  even  outside 
the  limits  of  the  United  States,  was  not  foreign  to 
them.  As  early  as  1825,  Mordecai  M.  Noah,  a  native  of 
Philadelphia,  and  prominent  in  politics,  journalism,  and 
civic  affairs,  originated  a  plan  of  establishing  a  Jewish 
colony  on  Grand  Island,  in  the  State  of  New  York.    He 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  87 

received,  however,  little  encouragement  or  co-operation 
from  his  co-religionists,  who,  in  fact,  opposed  and 
ridiculed  both  the  plan  and  its  author. 

C.  Early  Immigration 

Just  as  the  explorer,  before  him,  had  to  light  for  his 
rights,  so  the  immigrant  in  early  days  had  difficulty 
before  he  was  admitted  to  an  existing  settlement. 
There  were  certain  requirements  and  qualifications  that 
he  had  to  meet  before  he  could  join  a  community.  The 
Jews  had  additional  difficulties  to  overcome.  During 
the  early  period,  from  colonial  times  to  1835,  immigra- 
tion was  taken  as  a  matter  of  course.  The  only  legisla- 
tion enacted,  and  in  fact,  the  only  law  proposed,  was  the 
law  of  181 9  for  the  regulation  of  the  steerage  passengers 
at  sea.  This  law,  besides,  provided  for  the  collection  of 
statistics  relative  to  immigration  to  the  United  States. 

The  second  period — from  1835  to  i860 — is  chiefly 
characterized  by  the  growth  of  the  Native  American  or 
Know  Nothing  movement,  which  was  based  largely,  if 
not  exclusively,  upon  an  opposition  to  the  immigration 
of  Roman  CathoHcs.  Many  strenuous  attempts  were 
made  to  pass  restrictive  and  repressive  measures,  but 
no  laws  were  enacted  to  that  end. 

D.  Immigration  of  1848 

As  a  consequence  of  the  sudden  and  large  increase  in 
immigration  from  Europe  between  1848  and  1850,  the 
old  prejudice  against  the  foreigner  was  revived.  This 
sentiment  grew  so  strong  that  in  1855,  an  effort  was 


88  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

made  to  elect  a  president  upon  an  anti-immigration 
platform.  The  movement  of  immigration  was  made 
up  in  no  small  part  of  Jewish  immigrants  from  Germany, 
principally  from  Bavaria  and  the  Rhine  provinces.  The 
condition  of  the  immigrants  in  those  days  was  deplora- 
ble. Legislation  enacted  in  New  York  State  clearly 
indicates  the  existing  situation.  In  1847,  ^  resolution 
was  adopted,  memorializing  Congress  to  limit  the  num- 
ber of  passengers  which  might  be  carried  by  steam- 
ships and  also  to  prescribe  the  method  of  carrying,  so  as 
to  amehorate  the  bad  conditions  previously  existing. 
Among  other  things  the  resolution  states  "that  almost 
weekly  some  vessel,  swarming  with  human  beings, 
arrives  at  our  ports,  and  the  details  of  their  suffering, 
arising  from  the  crowded  state  of  such  a  vessel,  a  neg- 
lect of  the  master  to  see  secured  a  sufficiency  of  water 
and  provisions  for  the  voyage,  and  the  convenience  for 
preparing  food,  the  inattention  of  such  master  to  the 
cleanliness  of  the  steerage,  and  the  comfort  and  health 
of  the  passengers,  are  shocking  to  our  sense  of  humanity, 
and  a  disgrace  to  any  country  possessing  the  power  to 
prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  enormities."  ^ 

This  was  just  the  time  when,  as  has  been  stated 
above,  the  larger  proportion  of  the  Jewish  immigration 
came  from  Bavaria  and  the  Rhine  provinces.  The 
immigrants  at  that  time  began  to  present  a  distinct 
problem.  While  the  American  Jews  enjoyed  social 
equaUty  and  partook  with  their  Christian  fellow  citizens 

1 "  Reports  of  the  Immigration  Commission,"  Vol.  39,  page  767. 
Washington,  191 1. 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  89 

in  the  organization  of  clubs,  dancing  assemblies,  and 
other  social  functions,  we  find  that  after  1848  there 
arrived  a  large  number  of  Jews  who  disturbed  the 
tranquillity  of  the  old  settlers.  Almost  all  of  the  Jewish 
immigrants  during  this  period  arrived  wholly  without 
means,  and  for  many,  peddling  was  at  first  the  only 
means  of  a  livelihood.  There  was  no  doubt  that  the 
Jewish  immigrant  received  considerable  aid  from  his 
co-rehgionists.  Private  relief  agencies  were  then  or- 
ganized, and  they  assisted  the  newcomer  by  establishing 
him  in  a  home,  and  giving  him  a  start  in  the  new  coim- 
try. 

E.  Polish  Immigration 

Individual  Russian  and  Polish  Jews,  more  especially 
the  latter,  emigrated  to  the  United  States  at  the  time  of 
the  American  Revolution.  The  Russian  ukase  of  1827, 
drafting  Jewish  boys  at  the  age  of  twelve  for  military 
service,  and  that  of  1848,  extending  the  conscription  to 
Russian  Poland  were  the  initial  incentives  which  led  to  a 
larger  stream  of  immigration,  which  first  flowed  to 
England  and  thence  to  America.  The  epoch-making 
revolutionary  period  of  1848  and  the  Polish  revolt  in 
1863,  were  potent  factors  in  the  increase  of  this  immi- 
gration. 

F.  Russian  Immigration 

The  Russo- Jewish  exodus,  en  masse,  however,  did  not 
begin  until  1881.  With  the  anti- Jewish  riots  of  April  27, 
1 88 1,  at  Yelissavetgrad  and  the  later  riots  at  Kiev  and 
other  cities  of  South  Russia,  Jewdsh  immigration  from 


90  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

that  country  to  the  United  States  assumed  very  large 
proportions.  The  first  group  of  this  newer  class  of 
immigrants,  consisting  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
members  of  the  Am  01am  (eternal  people)  Society 
arrived  in  New  York  on  July  29,  1881.  This  was  fol- 
lowed later  by  a  large  stream  of  refugees. 

The  following  table  gives  the  number  of  Russian 
Jews  who  emigrated  to  the  United  States  during  the 
several  years  of  this  decade,  according  to  the  figures  of 
the  United  States  Immigration  Commission  and  the 
United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York: 

Year  From  Russia  Year  From  Russia 

1881 8,193  1886 17,309 

1882 17,497  1887 28,944 

1883 6,907  1888 31,256 

1884 15,122  1889 31,889 

1885 16,603  1890 33,147 

The  immigrants  that  came  so  suddenly  and  in  such 
large  numbers  attracted  the  attention  of  the  general 
populations  of  the  United  States.  No  wonder  that 
their  co-religionists  were  eager  to  do  their  bounden 
duty  in  helping  the  newcomers,  in  need  of  immediate 
assistance.  While  it  must  be  recalled  that  the  im- 
mediate causes  of  the  large  mass  of  immigration  of  the 
Russian  Jews  were  the  riots  and  political  and  religious 
persecution,  underneath  the  movement  was  the  eco- 
nomic disability  under  which  the  Jews  labored  in 
Russia.  They  came  here  without  means.  Unlike  other 
immigrants,  they  came  with  families,  and  the  families 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  91 

were  large.     The  large  majority  came  to  New  York, 
and  intended  to  settle  there. 

G.  Immigration  Funds 

Funds  to  aid  the  Russian  Jews  were  raised  every- 
where. In  Philadelphia,  twenty-five  thousand  dollars 
were  raised  early  in  1882.  The  Hebrew  Immigrant 
Aid  Society  of  the  United  States  collected  three  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  and  the  New  York  Russian  Re- 
lief Fund,  seventy  thousand.  In  1883,  sixty  thousand 
dollars  more  were  collected,  and  temporary  quarters 
were  erected  on  Wards  Island  and  at  Greenpoint,  L.  I. 
About  three  thousand  immigrants  were  temporarily 
housed  and  maintained  there  until  emplo>Tiient  could 
be  secured. 

H.  Federal  Legislation 

The  beginning  of  the  large  Russian  Jewish  immigra- 
tion coincided  with  the  beginning  of  our  Federal  legis- 
lation for  the  control  and  regulation  of  immigration 
in  general.  The  first  general  immigration  law  was 
approved  August  3,  1882.  This  law  provided  for  a 
head  tax  of  fifty  cents  to  be  levied  on  all  aliens  to  be 
landed  at  any  port  in  the  United  States,  the  money 
thus  collected  to  be  used  exclusively  to  defray  the 
expenses  of  regulating  immigration  and  for  the  care  of 
immigrants  after  landing. 

On  February  26,  1885,  the  first  act  of  Congress  for- 
bidding the  importation  of  contract  laborers  was  ap- 
proved.   This  law  was  later  amended  in  1887,  giving 


92  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

authority  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  return 
within  the  year  any  immigrant  landed  contrary  to 
this  act. 

These  restrictive  laws  did  in  no  wise  affect  Jewish 
immigration.  The  new  arrival  did  not  belong  to 
the  excluded  categories,  but  needed  help  and  as- 
sistance. The  American  Jews  nobly  came  to  the 
front  and  collected  mo^iey,  not  only  sufficient  to 
meet  the  emergency  here,  but  also  to  send  large 
sums  of  money  to  Russia  for  improving  conditions 
there. 

I.  First  Aid  to  the  Immigrant 

But  what  was  the  problem  that  confronted  American 
Jewry?  The  question  of  settling  the  immigrant  was 
most  important.  Accommodations  were  secured  to 
house  the  new  arrival.  Clothing  was  distributed,  food 
and  clothing  were  supplied.  The  dependency  of  the 
immigrant  was  temporary,  the  assistance  given  was 
intended  to  carry  him  through  until  he  found  employ- 
ment. There  was  no  doubt  but  that  as  soon  as  he  was 
estabhshed  he  would  need  no  help.  All  organized 
effort  was  directed  to  the  new  arrival.  Jewish 
philanthropy  at  this  period  limited  itself  to  "first 
aid  to  the  immigrant."  Through  the  experience 
of  those  few  years,  the  Jews  learned  the  neces- 
sity and  wisdom  of  thorough  organization  of  relief 
agencies.  As  a  result  the  Jews  have  succeeded  in 
instituting  system  and  efficiency  in  the  administration 
of  relief. 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  93 

J.  The  Exodus  from  Russia  and  Roumania 

The  new  and  more  repressive  measures  inaugurated 
by  the  Russian  Government  in  the  early  nineties  re- 
sulted in  still  another  increase  in  Jewish  immigration, 
as  can  be  seen  from  the  following  table: 

Year  Total  ^        Year  Total  ^ 

1891 42,145  1896 45>i37 

1892 76,417  1897 22,750 

1893 35*626  1898 27,321 

1894 36,725  1899 24,275 

1895 33.232  1900 37.011 

This  stream  of  Russian  Jewish  immigrants  was 
augmented  by  large  numbers  of  immigrants  from 
Roumania,  due  to  the  continual  persecution  of  the 
Jews  in  that  country,  and  to  no  inconsiderable  extent 
from  Austria. 2     The  question  of  extending  rehef  to 

^  Jewish  immigration  at  the  port  of  New  York. 

2  The  following  tables  prepared  by  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and 
Immigrant  Aid  Society  of  America  give  the  Jewish  immigration  at 
the  port  of  New  York  for  the  calendar  year  19 14,  classified  by  sex, 
country  of  birth,  and  destination  within  the  United  States: 

Sex  Country  of  Birth   (cont.) 

Male 26,880         Roimiania i,394 

Female 24,543  Turkey  (European) .  .  420 

Greece 217 

Grand  Total.  .  .  .     51,423          Serbia 37 

Bulgaria 10 

Country  of  Birth                       Italy 7 

I'rom  S.  and  E.  Europe —                     Syria 7 

Russia 38,064  

Austria 9,272                 Total 49,428 


94 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


large    numbers    of   immigrants   became   a   perpetual 
problem.    The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York 


Country  of  Birth  (cont.) 
From  other  countries — 

England 648 

Turkey  (Asiatic) 469 

Germany 298 

France 81 

South  America 61 

Holland 47 

Belgium 44 

Egypt 36 

Denmark 30 

Switzerland 27 

South  Africa 20 

Ireland 22 

Scotland 15 

Sweden 14 

Norway 9 

AustraUa 7 

Central  America 6 

West  Indies 6 

Mexico 5 

Wales 5 

Persia 2 

San  Domingo i 

Canada 22 

United  States 120 


Total . 


Destination 
States — 

Alabama 

Arkansas 

California 

Colorado 


1,995 


51 

I 

161 

46 


Destination  (cont 
States — 

Connecticut 

Delaware 

District  of  Columbia . 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New  Hampshire 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina 

North  Dakota 

Ohio 

Oklahoma 

Oregon 

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island 

South  Carolina 


1,017 
12 
51 
19 
62 

1,82s 
130 

73 
6 
22 
21 
36 
246 

1,327 
499 
194 

,  7 
360 

14 
114 

7 

23 

2,166 

6 

38,753 
6 

30 

760 

8 

42 

2,025 

171 
IS 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  95 

City  felt  the  burden  of  immigration,  probably  more 
than  did  any  other  organization,  and  in  its  annual  re- 
ports the  officers  of  that  organization  called  attention 
to  the  deplorable  conditions  under  which  the  immigrant 
lived  and  the  urgent  necessity  for  extensive  funds  to 
handle  the  situation.  The  following  table  gives  Jewish 
immigration  from  1901  down  through  the  outbreak  of 
the  war.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  war  caused  a  falling 
off  in  immigrant  arrivals  of  over  90  per  cent.  Another 
interesting  phenomenon  is  found  in  a  study  of  the 
proportion  of  Russian  Jews  among  the  total.  Be- 
ginning with  191 5,  there  is  a  marked  decline,  more 
and  more  immigrants  coming  from  "English-speaking" 
countries  to  use  a  phrase  adopted  by  the  Immigration 
Commission  of  1907. 

Destination  (cont.)  Destination  (cont.) 

States —  States — 

South  Dakota 4         West  Virginia 13 

Tennessee 56          Wisconsin 242 

Texas 37          Wyoming 2 

Utah 2          In  transit 645 

Vermont 11                                                 

Virginia 35  Grand  Total.  .  .  .  51,423 

Washington 70 

For  more  detailed  analysis,  information,  and  statistics  of  immigration 
to  the  United  States  see  Samuel  Joseph's  "Jewish  Immigration  to 
the  United  States  from  1881  to  1910"  and  Isaac  A.  Hourwich's 
"Immigration  and  Labor." 


96  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Year  ^  Total         Front  Russia       Per  cent 

1901 37,152  21,214  57 

1902 54,954  29,280  S3 

1903 60,815  34,196  56 

1904 89,442  66,536  75 

1905 100,388  77,564  78 

1906 147,269  118,620  81 

1907 109,603  80,503  74 

1908 62,326  45,465  73 

1909 54,223  38,460  71 

1910 71,256  49,007  69 

1911 63,032  44,513  71 

1912 61,903  42,554  69 

1913 95,286  65,636  69 

1914 77,719  56,646  73 

1915 6,247  3,629  58 

K.  Additional  Legislation 

Meanwhile,  in  1891,  additional  legislation  was  pro- 
posed, and  in  due  time,  passed.  Polygamists,  and 
persons  suffering  from  loathsome  or  contagious  dis- 
eases were  added  to  the  classes  excluded  by  the  act 
of  1882.  Provision  was  made  that  "assisted  persons 
unless  affirmatively  shown  that  they  do  not  belong  to 
any  of  the  excluded  classes"  should  be  deported.  All 
decisions  of  the  inspection  officials  refusing  an  alien 
the  privilege  of  landing  were  final,  unless  appeal  were 
made  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  This  law  was 
of  great  consequence  to  Jewish  immigrants,  a  large 
number  of  whom  suffered  from  trachoma  (granulation 
of  the  conjunctiva  of  the  eyelids,  attended  by  in- 

1  Jewish  calendar  year  September  30th  to  October  ist,  inclusive. 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  97 

flammation)  which  was  classed  by  the  United  States 
PubHc  Health  and  Marine  Hospital  Service  as  a  dan- 
gerous contagious  disease  within  the  meaning  of  the 
immigration  act  of  1891.  This  caused  the  deportation 
of  a  considerable  number  of  immigrant  Jews.  Others 
were  debarred  from  landing  because  in  some  way  or 
other  they  had  been  assisted  in  emigrating.  Still 
others  were  deported  as  likely  to  become  public  charges. 
The  fact  that  the  decisions  of  the  immigration  inspec- 
tors were  more  or  less  final  permitted  a  rather  severe 
interpretation  of  the  law,  and  the  possibility  of  wrong 
judgment,  and  the  further  fact  that  not  unfrequently 
certain  immigration  inspectors  became  arbitrary  and 
dictatorial,  in  their  attitude  toward  the  immigrants, 
provided  the  incentive  for  organized  effort  for  the 
protection  of  immigrants.  This  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  agency  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  secure 
for  the  immigrant  fair  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the 
inspectors,  and  to  take  appeals  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  as  provided  by  law  in  the  cases  of  threatened 
deportation. 

The  immigration  law  of  1893  provided  that  the 
judgment  of  one  inspector  was  not  sufficient  to  exclude 
an  immigrant.  It  now  became  his  duty  to  detain  for 
special  inquiry  each  immigrant  who,  in  his  opinion, 
was  not  qualified  to  land.  Special  inquiries  were  to 
be  conducted  by  not  less  than  four  inspectors.  In 
1894,  the  head  tax  was  increased  from  fifty  cents  to 
one  dollar.  It  is  necessary  to  refer  here  to  the  American 
Protective  Association,  an  atavistic  form  of  the  old 


98  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Know  Nothing  movement,  which  again  became  promi- 
nent about  this  period.  The  Junior  Order  of  the 
United  American  Mechanics  and  the  Patriotic  Sons  of 
America  were  claimed  to  be  sympathizers  and  co-opera- 
tors. In  1890,  the  Association  claimed  a  membership  of 
close  to  two  million,  five  hundred  thousand  persons. 
At  that  time  it  seemed  probable  that  the  Association 
would  grow  in  influence  and  power,  but  in  reahty  it 
never  progressed  beyond  the  stage  of  agitation. 

In  1903,  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor 
was  established,  and  a  Commissioner  General  of  Im- 
migration was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  that 
Department.  By  the  law  of  1906,  providing  for  a 
uniform  rule  for  the  naturalization  of  aliens,  the  designa- 
tion of  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  was  changed  to  the 
Bureau  of  Immigration  and  Naturalization. 

L.  The  Immigration  Law  of  1907 

In  1907,  a  bill  was  approved  which  is  practically  the 
present  immigration  law,  and  contains  the  following 
special  provisions:  The  head  tax  is  now  four  dollars, 
and  is  to  be  paid  by  every  ahen  entering  the  United 
States.  The  classes  of  aliens  excluded  from  the  United 
States  are  as  follows:  (i)  idiots;  (2)  insane  persons; 
persons  who  have  been  insane  within  five  years  previous 
to  arrival,  and  persons  who  have  had  two  or  more 
attacks  of  insanity  at  any  time  previous;  (3)  imbeciles; 
(4)  feeble-minded  persons;  (5)  epileptics;  (6)  paupers; 
(7)  persons  likely  to  become  a  public  charge;  (8)  pro- 
fessional beggars;  (9)  persons  afflicted  with  tuberculosis 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  99 

or  with  a  loathsome  or  dangerous  contagious  disease; 
(10)  persons  not  included  within  any  of  the  foregoing 
excluded  classes  who  are  found  to  be  mentally  or 
physically  defective,  such  defect  being  likely  to  affect 
the  ability  of  such  aliens  to  earn  a  living;  (11)  persons 
who  have  been  convicted  of,  or  admit  having  committed 
a  felony  or  other  crime  involving  moral  turpitude; 

(12)  polygamists,  or  persons  who  believe  in  polygamy; 

(13)  anarchists,  or  persons  who  believe  in  or  are  advo- 
cates of  the  overthrow  by  force  or  violence  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  or  of  all  governments; 

(14)  prostitutes;  (15)  persons  who  procure  or  attempt 
to  bring  in  prostitutes  or  women  or  girls  for  the  purpose 
of  prostitution;  (16)  contract  laborers;  (17)  persons 
who  have  been  deported  within  one  year  from  the 
date  of  application  for  admission  to  the  United  States, 
as  being  under  contract  or  promise  to  perform  labor  in 
this  country;  (18)  any  person  whose  ticket  or  passage 
was  paid  for  with  the  money  of  another,  or  is  assisted 
by  others  to  come,  unless  it  is  affirmatively  shown  that 
such  person  does  not  belong  to  one  of  the  foregoing 
excluded  classes;  (19)  all  children  under  fifteen  years 
of  age  unaccompanied  by  parent  or  guardian,  at  the 
discretion  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce  and  Labor; 
(20)  any  alien  accompanying  another  alien,  helpless 
from  sickness  may  be  deported  with  such  alien. 

The  following  are  excepted  from  the  provision  of 
the  act  with  regard  to  contract  laborers:  professional 
actors,  artists,  lecturers,  singers,  ministers  of  any  re- 
ligious denomination,  professors  for  colleges  or  univer- 


icx>  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

sities;  persons  belonging  to  any  recognized  learned 
profession;  or  persons  employed  strictly  as  personal  or 
domestic  servants;  and  skilled  labor  if  its  kind  is  not 
to  be  found  in  this  country.  A  diseased  wife  or  minor 
children  of  a  resident  alien  may  be  admitted  if  without 
danger  to  the  public.  The  importation  or  holding  of 
any  alien  woman  or  girl  for  purposes  of  prostitution 
is  forbidden  under  penalty  of  five  thousand  dollars  or 
imprisonment  of  not  more  than  five  years  for  each 
offense.  Any  alien  woman  or  girl  found  an  inmate 
of  a  house  of  prostitution  or  practicing  prostitution 
within  two  years  of  landing  within  the  United  States 
shall  be  deported. 

Unless  the  inspector  clearly  thinks  that  the  immi- 
grant is  entitled  to  admission,  he  must  hold  him  for 
special  inquiry,  which  is  conducted  by  a  Board  of 
Special  Inquiry,  appointed  by  the  Commissioners  of 
Immigration  at  each  port  of  arrival.  Each  Board 
consists  of  three  men.  The  alien  or  any  dissenting 
member  of  the  Board  may  appeal  to  the  Secretary  of 
Commerce  and  Labor  through  the  Commissioner  of 
Immigration  and  the  Commissioner  General.  No  appeal 
may  be  taken  from  their  decision,  made  upon  the  basis 
of  certification  of  a  medical  ofi&cer  in  the  case  of  aliens 
afflicted  with  tuberculosis,  or  a  loathsome  or  dangerous 
contagious  disease. 

If  any  alien  shall  have  entered  the  United  States  and 
become  a  pubUc  charge  from  causes  existing  prior  to 
landing,  he  may  be  deported  within  three  years  after 
the  date  of  entry. 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  loi 

Any  alien  liable  to  be  excluded  as  likely  to  become 
a  public  charge  or  because  of  physical  disability  other 
than  tuberculosis  or  a  dangerous  or  loathsome  con- 
tagious disease  may  be  admitted,  if  otherwise  admis- 
sible in  the  discretion  of  the  Secretary  of  Commerce 
and  Labor,  upon  the  giving  of  a  suitable  bond  that 
such  alien  will  not  become  a  public  charge.  This  act 
also  established  a  division  of  Information  in  the  Bureau 
of  Irmnigration,  whose  duty  it  is  to  promote  a  beneficial 
distribution  of  aliens  among  the  states  and  territories 
desiring  immigrants. 

In  1 910,  an  important  amendment  to  this  law  of 
1907  was  enacted.  The  following  were  added  to  the 
classes  excluded  from  landing:  persons  who  are  sup- 
ported by,  or  receive  in  full  or  in  part,  the  proceeds 
of  prostitution.  The  agitation  of  the  subject  known 
as  white  slavery  resulted  in  the  enactment  of  the  Mann 
Act,  an  act  prohibiting  the  transportation  between 
states  of  persons  for  the  purposes  of  prostitution. 
Subsequently  the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Labor 
was  divided  into  two  departments.  The  Commissioner 
General  of  Immigration  is  now  an  officer  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Labor. 

M.  The  Economic  Status  of  the  Jewish  Immigrant 

Practically  speaking,  all  the  above  laws,  as  enacted, 
limit  immigration  to  persons  who  are  not  likely  to  be- 
come charity  recipients,  and  at  least  at  their  arrival 
possess  some  means  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  their 
becoming  a  burden  on  the  community  of  their  destina- 


I02  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tion.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting  to  note  that 
the  average  amount  per  capita  shown  by  Jewish  im- 
migrants for  the  fiscal  years  1904  to  19 10  was  thirty- two 
dollars  and  nine  cents.  Again,  the  majority  of  the 
Jewish  immigrants  in  later  years  came  to  join  relatives 
and  were  assisted  by  the  latter.  Statistical  tables 
show  that  for  the  years  1908  to  19 10,  both  inclusive, 
142,369  immigrants  reported  that  their  passage  was 
prepaid  by  some  relative,  1,053  by  others  than  self  or 
relatives,  and  101,777  t>y  self.  In  other  words,  58.5 
per  cent  were  paid  for  by  someone  who  was  ready  to 
help  the  immigrant  if  necessary,  and  so  make  it  un- 
necessary for  them  to  apply  to  organized  charity.  This 
change  in  the  very  setting  of  the  new  immigrant  ex- 
plains the  small  number  of  recently  arrived  immigrants 
who  apply  to  relief  agencies  as  shown  by  the  reports  of 
the  latter.  Thus,  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New 
York,  in  1914,  reports  only  967  of  7,208  applications, 
as  being  less  than  five  years  in  America,  while  Chicago, 
of  2,324  applications,  reports  only  97  as  being  less  than 
one  year  in  this  country;  Baltimore  reports  only  227 
out  of  5,229  appHcations. 

N.  Protection  of  the  Immigrant  at  the  Port  of 

Entry 

Although  the  relief  phase  of  the  first  aid  to  the  im- 
migrant is  of  far  less  importance  than  in  years  previous, 
the  immigrant  requires  a  considerable  amount  of  as- 
sistance which  only  organized  effort  can  provide.  The 
Government  attempts  to  guard  the  interests  of  the 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  103 

new  arrival,  and  makes  considerable  provision  for  their 
supervision.  Municipalities  in  many  instances  offer 
instruction  in  English,  and  other  facilities  for  the  rapid 
Americanization  of  the  newcomer.  In  the  large  ma- 
jority of  cases,  however,  the  present  day  immigrant, 
coming  to  relatives,  applies  to  organized  charity  for 
assistance  only  in  exceptional  cases,  and  so  the  field  of 
the  so-called  "first  aid  to  the  immigrants"  is  changing 
in  its  application.  There  are  a  few  features  in  this 
particular  field  of  philanthropic  effort  which  are  still 
the  functions  of  an  organized  agency,  and  cannot  be 
performed  by  individuals  not  equipped  with  the  knowl- 
edge or  machinery  which  is  imperative  in  this  sphere. 
Thus,  the  question  of  the  admission  of  aliens  at  times 
presents  considerable  difficulty.  With  the  more  com- 
phcated  immigration  legislation  pertaining  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  aliens,  an  immigrant  is  liable  to  be  rejected 
for  no  other  reason  than  for  some  misunderstanding  or 
for  inability  to  answer  the  formal  requirements  of  the 
law.  Often  he  makes  statements  that  are  detrimental 
to  his  own  interests;  he  may  have  difficulty  in  locating 
his  friend  because  of  a  wrong,  illegible,  or  lost  address; 
he  may  misunderstand  the  question  propounded,  and 
at  times  may  meet  with  an  unforeseen  situation  which 
properly  explained  would  not  debar  him  from  admis- 
sion. Hence,  the  necessity  of  providing  some  definite 
system  of  protection  of  the  immigrant  at  the  port  of 
entry.  The  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid 
Society  of  America  and  the  Council  of  Jewish  Women 
are  especially  active  in  this  connection. 


I04  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

The  anti-white  slavery  agitation  emphasizes  the 
importance  of  protective  work  among  immigrant  girls. 
The  National  Council  of  Jewish  Women  has  taken 
charge  of  this  important  activity.  The  organization 
maintains  connections  with  various  European  societies 
which  watch  over  girls  who  are  traveling  either  to  or 
from  Europe,  especially  the  sick,  excluded  upon  arrival, 
or  the  insane  deported  after  a  stay  in  America.  They 
thus  have  some  friendly  agency  to  guard  their  interests 
from  the  time  they  leave  to  the  time  they  reach  their 
destination.  At  the  various  points  of  entry  the  Council 
maintains  women  agents,  who  are  ready  and  anxious 
to  give  advice  and  aid  in  solving,  as  far  as  possible,  the 
many  difficulties  that  present  themselves  to  anyone 
coming  from  foreign  shores.  The  agents  of  the  Council 
also  protect  the  immigrant  girls  against  exploitation 
of  any  nature.  They  follow  up  the  girls  in  their  homes, 
and  maintain  wherever  necessary  or  expedient  a  proper 
supervision  over  them.  The  organization  has  sections 
all  over  the  country,  so  that  the  work  is  pushed  far 
into  the  interior,  especially  in  the  larger  cities. 

The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York  in  former 
years  maintained  a  special  agent  at  Ellis  Island  for 
this  purpose.  For  the  past  eight  years,  however,  this 
work  has  been  assumed  by  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and 
Immigrant  Aid  Society  of  America  which  has  a  very 
pretentious  program  besides.  From  the  annual  reports 
of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid  Society 
of  America  we  can  secure  a  definite  idea  of  the  scope 
of  its  program.     The  expenditure  of  the  organization 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  105 

in  1 9 13  was  $72,093.78.  This  society  maintains 
two  representatives  at  Ellis  Island.  In  order  to 
prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  deportation  of  those  who 
should  be  released,  their  duty  is  to  scrutinize  the 
lists  of  immigrants  who  are  refused  admission  on 
primary  inspection.  Thus  they  aid  in  the  administra- 
tion of  justice,  and  serve  as  volunteer  attorneys  for 
the  immigrants,  seeking  to  protect  them  from  mis- 
interpretation of  the  law,  the  abuse  of  the  discretionary 
powers  vested  in  the  Boards  of  Special  Inquiry,  and 
in  the  medical  officers  as  well.  They  guide  the  immi- 
grant also  through  the  maze  of  rules  and  regulations 
that  enmesh  and  bewilder  him  from  the  moment  that 
he  arrives  in  this  country,  at  a  time  when  he  does  not 
know  where  and  how  to  locate  the  friend  or  relative 
whose  presence  he  so  sorely  needs. 

The  number  of  Jewish  immigrants  arriving  in  New 
York  during  1913  was  103,869.  The  Society  dealt 
with  3,726  cases,  or  3.6  per  cent  of  the  total. 
One  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-four,  or  51.5 
per  cent  of  the  detained  or  excluded,  were  admitted  on 
rehearings  before  the  Boards  of  Special  Inquiry,  often 
reversing  their  own  decisions  on  the  presentation  of 
supplementary  evidence.  The  Society  appealed  736 
cases,  of  which  461  were  admitted.  Altogether,  only 
1.2  per  cent  of  the  total  immigration  were  de- 
ported. All  the  Jewish  immigrants  giving  New  York 
as  their  destination  are  taken  in  charge  by  the  So- 
ciety until  they  are  safely  placed  with  their  relatives 
or  friends,  or  otherwise  disposed  of.     In  cases  where 


io6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  friends  or  relatives  cannot  be  located  the  Society 
provides  food  and  shelter,  inserts  advertisements  in 
the  Jewish  daiUes,  and  spares  no  efforts  to  locate  them. 
Twenty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and  nine  immi- 
grants, 24.4  per  cent  of  the  total  number  of  Jewish 
immigrants  in  1913,  received  this  guiding  assistance 
from  the  Society.  In  addition,  the  Society  conducts 
an  employment  agency,  and  a  temporary  shelter  house 
with  acconmiodations  for  about  one  hundred,  main- 
tains educational  work  upon  lines  of  Americanization, 
and  attempts  to  use  the  follow-up  system  with  as  many 
immigrants  as  possible.  A  special  branch  has  been 
recently  organized  on  the  Pacific  Coast.  There  are 
also  immigrant  aid  societies  in  Baltimore,  Philadelphia, 
and  Boston,  which  work  in  co-operation  with  the 
Society  in  New  York. 

With  all  these  agencies,  specifically  engaged  in  first 
aid  to  the  immigrant,  there  is  very  little  need  for 
other  organizations  carrying  on  general  welfare  work 
to  devote  considerable  attention  to  this  particular 
phase  of  the  problem.  Occasionally,  however,  in  in- 
dividual cases,  a  philanthropic  agency  may  be  called 
upon  to  assist  a  newly  arrived  immigrant.  In  the 
main,  this  assistance  means  merely  to  refer  the  case 
to  the  special  agency,  to  enter  into  correspondence 
with  the  same,  and  to  give  co-operation  which  the 
latter  may  require  in  securing  whatever  information 
is  needed.  Again,  in  some  instances,  the  relief  society 
may  have  some  immigrants  who  need  actual  monetary 
assistance,  either  through  unavoidable  accident,  sick- 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  107 

ness,  and  so  forth,  simply  because  the  natural  guardian, 
the  relative  or  friend  whom  the  immigrant  joined  is 
unable,  or  in  some  isolated  cases  even  unwilling  further 
to  assist.  These  cases,  as  we  have  mentioned  before, 
are  comparatively  rare,  and  after  the  first  aid,  be  it 
establishment  in  a  home,  or  temporary  relief,  they 
present  no  difficulties — except  the  somewhat  large 
initial  outlay.  There  need  be  no  fear  that  adequate 
relief  given  to  the  recently  arrived  immigrant  will 
lead  to  dependency. 

0.  The  Anti-Restriction  Movement 

Although  the  actual  work  along  lines  of  first  aid  to 
the  immigrant  seems  to  present  few  difficulties  and  is 
rather  well  in  hand,  there  has  been  lately  thrust  upon 
American  Jewry  the  urgent  necessity  of  maintaining 
an  agitation  for  defense  against  restrictive  tendencies 
and  discriminatory  effects  of  laws  advocated  and  often 
initiated  by  enemies  of  a  liberal  immigration  policy. 

1.  The  Immigration  Commission  of  igoy 

By  an  Immigration  Act  of  Congress  of  February  20, 
1907,  a  special  commission  was  created,  consisting  of 
nine  members;  three  senators,  to  be  appointed  by  the 
vice-president,  three  representatives,  to  be  appointed 
by  the  speaker  of  the  House,  and  three  laymen,  to  be 
appointed  by  the  President.  The  Commission  was  to 
make  full  inquiry  into  the  subject  of  immigration,  to 
report  to  Congress  the  conclusions  reached  by  it  and 
make  such  recommendations  as  in  its  judgment  shall 


io8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

seem  proper.  The  Commission  was  subsequently  ap- 
pointed and  organized  in  April,  1907.  The  complete 
report  of  the  Commission  comprises  forty-two  bulky 
volumes,  and  contains,  on  the  whole,  some  valuable 
contributions.  The  work  of  the  Commission  was 
watched  with  intense  interest  by  both  the  restrictionists 
and  those  who  favor  a  liberal  immigration  pohcy. 

On  the  appointment  of  the  Immigration  Commission 
in  1907,^  the  American  Jewish  Committee  sent  a  com- 
munication to  Chairman  Dillingham,  asking  that  the 
Committee  be  given  an  opportunity  to  express  its 
views  on  immigration,  more  particularly,  if  not  solely, 
as  it  refers  to  the  Jews.  On  December  4,  1909,  the 
Committee,  together  with  delegates  from  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  B'nai  B'rith  was  accorded  a  hearing  and 
in  19 10  the  Committee  presented  written  recommenda- 
tions concerning  the  revision  of  the  existing  immigra- 
tion laws  and  regulations.  The  Committee  maintained 
that  the  existing  laws  are,  in  the  main,  satisfactory,  that 
the  immigrants  are  entitled  to  due  process  of  law,  and 
opposed  proposed  amendments,  which,  first,  increased 
the  head  tax,  second,  repealed  or  modified  the  bonding 
provision,  third,  established  a  literacy  test,  fourth, 

1  The  personnel  of  the  Commission  was  as  follows: 
Hon.  Wm,  P,  Dillingham,  of  Vt.,  chairman;  Hon.  Henry  Cabot 
Lodge,  of  Mass. ;  Hon.  Anselm  J.  McLaurin,  of  Miss.  (Substituted 
in  1908  by  Hon.  Asbury  C.  Latimer,  of  S.  C.  on  whose  death  in  1910, 
Hon.  Le  Roy  Percy  of  Miss,  was  appointed.)  Hon.  Ben.  F.  Howell, 
of  N.  J.;  Hon.  Wm.  S.  Bennett,  of  N.  Y.;  Hon.  John  L.  Burnett,  of 
Ala.;  Mr.  Charles  P.  Neill,  of  Washington,  D.  C;  Professor  Jeremiah 
W.  Jenks,  of  N.  Y.;  Professor  Wm.  R.  Wheeler,  of  Cal. 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  109 

prescribed  physical  examination  for  immigrants  such  as 
is  prescribed  for  admission  to  the  United  States  army, 
fifth,  estabhshed  monetary  requirements,  sixth,  required 
moral  certificates  for  admission,  particularly  from  Rus- 
sian refugees,  seventh,  abolished  the  bonding  provision, 
eighth,  established  as  an  excluded  class,  persons  found 
to  be  economically  undesirable,  ninth,  required  all 
aliens  to  secure  registration  under  heavy  penalties, 
tenth,  increased  from  three  to  four  years  the  period 
within  which  deportation  may  be  ordered  on  the  ground 
of  being  a  public  charge,  and  lastly,  estabhshed  a  race 
and  color  test  for  admission  of  aliens,  contrary  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  our  government  and  in 
violation  of  treaty  rights. 

2.  The  Jewish  Issue  Before  the  Commission 

The  specifically  Jewish  issue  was  encountered  by  the 
Commission  when,  in  adopting  the  classification  of 
immigrants  by  races,  the  Commission  found  difficulty  in 
placing  the  Jews  by  this  scheme  in  a  separate  category. 
At  a  hearing  before  the  Commission,  December  4,  1909, 
the  Hon.  Simon  Wolf  of  Washington,  D.  C,  representing 
the  executive  committee  of  the  Board  of  Delegates  on 
Civil  Rights  of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Con- 
gregations, appeared  to  oppose  the  use  by  the  Commis- 
sion of  the  word  Hebrew  in  a  racial  connection.  Hon. 
Julian  W.  Mack  of  Chicago,  made  a  similar  argument. 
Mr.  Wolf  explained,  moreover,  that  the  Jews  are  by  no 
means  unanimous  in  denying  their  racial  status,  but 
that  a  certain  portion  of  the  Jewish  people,  notably  the 


no  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Zionists,  claimed  that  the  Jews  are  a  distinct  race. 
The  Commission  also  received  several  communications 
from  Hebrew  organizations,  urging  the  continued  use 
of  the  word  Jew  or  Hebrew  to  designate  a  race  or  people, 
one  of  these  petitions  being  in  the  form  of  a  resolution, 
adopted  by  the  Federated  Jewish  Organizations  of  New 
York.  The  Commission  decided  that  it  was  justified  in 
using  the  term  Hebrew  as  designating  a  race  or  people. 

3.  The  Burnett-Dillingham  Bill 

In  1 9 10,  the  Conamittee  made  every  legitimate  effort 
to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  bill  introduced  by  Senator 
Dillingham,  which  contained  among  other  features,  a 
provision  for  a  reading  and  writing  test.  In  April,  two 
years  later,  the  House  Committee  on  Immigration 
finally  reported  a  bill  by  Representative  Burnett  of 
Alabama.  This  bill  would  generally  exclude  aliens  over 
sixteen  years  of  age  unable  to  read.  It  contained  a 
clause,  however,  excepting  from  this  provision  those 
who  can  prove  that  they  are  seeking  admission  solely 
for  the  purpose  of  escaping  religious  persecution. 

The  Immigration  Bill,  a  combination  of  the  Dilling- 
ham and  Burnett  Bills,  passed  February  19,  1913,  but 
was  vetoed  by  President  Taft.  The  Senate  passed  the 
bill  over  the  President's  veto,  but  in  the  House  the  veto 
was  sustained.  Subsequently,  in  February,  191 7, 
practically  the  same  Bill  was  passed  in  both  Houses 
of  Congress  over  the  veto  of  President  Wilson,  and 
is  now  law.  While  the  American  Jewish  Committee 
has  an  extremely  wide  scope,  as  its  constitution  pro- 


THE  IMMIGRATION  PROBLEM  iii 

vides,  most  of  its  activities  prove  that  at  present,  at 
least,  it  is  pre-eminently  concerned  with  combating 
hostile  immigration  legislation.  This  work  is  un- 
doubtedly of  great  positive  value  to  those  who,  without 
this  guardian  of  their  rights,  would  not  be  allowed  to 
land  and  become  good  American  citizens. 

P.  The  Galveston  Movement 

In  June,  1910,  a  considerable  number  of  Jewish 
immigrants  came  through  the  port  of  Galveston,  and 
were  ordered  deported  on  the  alleged  ground,  either 
that  they  had  come  in  violation  of  the  contract  labor 
laws,  or  were  liable  to  become  pubhc  charges.  These 
immigrants  came  through  the  Jewish  Territorialist 
Organization,  which  was  then  trying  to  divert  the 
stream  of  immigration  from  New  York  to  Galveston, 
where  the  Jewish  Immigrants  Information  Bureau  was 
attempting  to  distribute  these  immigrants  so  arriving 
according  to  the  best  interests  of  the  immigrants 
and  the  attendant  interests  of  the  country.  How- 
ever, this  logical  attempt  to  divert  immigration  at  its 
fountain  head  was  construed  to  bring  it  within  the 
meaning  of  stimulating  immigration  from  Russia  to 
America. 

Chapter  Seven.   The  Immigration  Problem 
Questions 

1.  Why  do  the  "recent  arrivals"  form  a  separate  class? 

2.  State  the  history  of  immigration  laws. 

3.  State  the  restrictive  laws  from  1882  to  1907. 

4.  Enumerate  the  provisions  of  the  present  law. 


112  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

5.  Describe  the  work  of  the  Immigration  Commission  of  1907. 

6.  What  are  the  provisions  of  the  Burnett-Dilhngham  Bill? 

7.  What  is  the  anti-restriction  movement,  and  what  are  the 
functions  of  the  American  Jewish  Committee  in  connection  with 
it? 

8.  Describe  the  early  Jewish  immigration  to  the  United 
States. 

9.  Describe  the  attitude  of  the  American  Jews  toward  the 
immigrants  from  Germany,  Poland,  etc. 

10.  Give  the  history  of  the  Russian  Jewish  immigration  of 
the  eighties. 

11.  Describe  the  raising  of  immigration  funds. 

12.  Discuss  the  economic  status  of  the  Jewish  immigrant. 

13.  State  what  protection  the  Jews  ofifer  to  the  Jewish  immi- 
grants at  the  port  of  entry. 

14.  Describe  the  work  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immi- 
grant Aid  Society  of  America. 

15.  What  is  the  Anti- White  Slavery  Crusade? 


VIII 

DISTRIBUTION 

While  the  Jews  advocate  a  very  liberal  immigration 
policy,  and  a  liberal  interpretation  of  the  existing  laws, 
and  are  great  believers  in  the  potential  good  that 
foreigners  bring  to  America,  they  are,  at  the  same  time, 
quite  aware  that  great  danger  lurks  in  the  unreasonable 
congestion  in  the  limited  territory.  As  a  result,  the 
Jews  are  firm  believers  in  the  policy  and  efi&cacy  of 
adequate  distribution  of  immigrants.  Thus,  at  the 
earliest  inception  of  the  Russian  mass  immigration,  the 
Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund  was  ready  to  supply  transporta- 
tion to  those  immigrants  who  have  expectations  of 
employment  outside  of  the  larger  cities,  or  who  have 
relatives  or  friends  willing  to  receive  and  care  for  them 
at  their  destination.  This  distribution  was  done  in 
individual  cases  alone,  and  no  organized  effort  was  made 
to  make  this  movement  counteract  the  tendencies  of 
the  immigrant  to  remain  in  the  ports  of  entry,  par- 
ticularly in  New  York  City. 

A.  The  Industrial  Removal  Office 

In  1900,  the  so-called  removal  work  was  delegated  to 
a  special  agency  known  as  the  Industrial  Removal 
Office.  It  was  self-evident  that  if  this  work  of  distribu- 
tion was  to  succeed  and  reach  the  immense  scope  that, 

113 


114  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

in  this  field,  was  the  criterion  of  efficiency,  it  was  nec- 
essary not  only  to  supply  funds  for  transportation, 
but  also  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  different 
communities  to  which  the  immigrants  were  to  be  sent. 
Organizations  had  to  be  effected  in  the  different  locali- 
ties to  help  the  removals  in  the  first  instances,  for  it 
became  patent  that  immigrants  without  friends  or 
relatives  must  be  removed  from  the  congested  centers, 
so  that  the  immigration  which  that  individual  induced 
would  come  to  him  in  an  interior  locality,  instead  of  to 
the  already  overcrowded  centers. 

B.  Co-operation 

In  1 901  Leo  N.  Levi,  late  president  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  B'nai  B'rith,  issued  a  circular  calling  upon 
the  lodges  of  the  Order  for  close  co-operation  in  the 
work  of  the  Industrial  Removal  Office.  At  the  Detroit 
Conference  of  the  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Char- 
ities in  1902,  the  work  of  the  Industrial  Removal  Office 
was  the  main  topic  for  discussion.  It  was  at  that  meet- 
ing that  Cyrus  Sulzberger  made  his  memorable  appeal 
to  the  delegates  from  the  different  cities.  There  was 
not  a  dry  eye  when  he  described  the  conditions  in  the 
New  York  Ghetto.  From  that  time  on,  the  work  of  the 
Removal  Office  proceeded  in  earnest  and  upon  a  large 
scale.* 

In  the  beginning,  a  central  office  was  opened  in  New 
York  City,  and  a  number  of  traveling  representatives 

»  "The  Removal  Work,"  Simon  Wolf.  "Proceedings  of  the  Third 
Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,"  New  York,  1904. 


DISTRIBUTION  115 

presented  to  various  communities  all  over  the  country 
the  object  and  functions  of  the  Removal  Office,  and  its 
methods  of  procedure. 

This  educational  program  was  essential  to  bring  home 
to  the  Jewish  community  at  large  that  the  stream  of 
immigration  had  to  be  diverted  away  from  New  York, 
that  the  problem  of  Jewish  immigration  to  the  United 
States  was  not  a  local  one  merely  because,  by  sheerest 
accident,  the  vast  majority  of  ocean  steamers  disem- 
barked their  human  cargoes  at  the  harbor  of  New 
York,  and  since  the  question  of  immigration  was  of 
national  interest,  that  it  was  therefore  incumbent  on 
the  Jews  of  the  entire  community  to  help  in  the  assimila- 
tion of  these  friendless  refugees  and  to  help  make  them 
self-supporting. 

C.  Local  Agencies 

Later,  the  Industrial  Removal  Office  provided  a  paid 
agent  in  a  number  of  communities,  who  devoted  part  or 
whole  time  to  the  individuals  or  families  who  were  sent 
from  New  York,  and  who  became  known  in  the  par- 
lance of  Relief  Offices  as  "I.  R.  O.  cases."  The  Indus- 
trial Removal  Office  usually  provided  an  allowance  of 
twenty-five  dollars  in  the  case  of  a  family,  and  ten 
dollars  in  the  case  of  an  individual. 

D.  Classification 

It  is  claimed,  and  justly  so,  that  besides  the  direct 
benefit  that  the  Industrial  Removal  Office  produces 
upon  those  who  are  sent  out,  it  also  "creates  nuclei  of 


ii6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

immigrants  which  will  in  time  attract  to  themselves  a 
natural  stream  of  Jewish  settlers,  just  as  the  pioneer 
Jewish  settlers  of  the  eighties  of  the  last  century  who 
settled  in  the  interior  attracted  the  hundreds  and  thou- 
sands who  followed  them."  Thus,  the  Industrial  Re- 
moval Office  divides  its  applicants  into  three  broad 
categories  called: 

1.  Direct  or  Original  Removals. 

2.  Request  Removals. 

3.  Reunion  Removals. 

The  individuals  in  the  first  division  are  those  who 
have  no  definite  locality  to  which  they  wish  to  be  sent, 
and  who,  as  a  result,  leave  the  selection  of  the  destina- 
tion to  the  judgment  and  discretion  of  the  officials  of  the 
Office. 

The  second  category,  "request"  cases,  are  sent  to 
their  destination  only  after  the  community  to  which  the 
applicant  desires  to  be  sent  has  been  notified  and  has 
been  afforded  the  opportunity  of  signifying  its  pleasure 
or  displeasure  in  the  matter. 

The  above  privilege  is  also  accorded  the  community 
with  respect  to  removals  of  the  third  class,  where  the 
head  of  the  family  has  left  his  family  either  in  New  York 
or  abroad.  The  community  must  ascertain  whether 
the  man  has  established  himself  sufficiently  well  to 
enable  him  to  receive  and  support  his  family  in  the  new 
settlement.* 

1  "The  Removal  Work,  Including  The  Galveston  Movement," 
by  David  Brassier.  Sixth  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities, 
St.  Louis,  1910. 


DISTRIBUTION  117 

E.  Methods 

The  handling  of  the  I.  R.  O.  cases  presents  quite  a 
number  of  pecuUar  features  that  tend,  at  times,  to  lead 
to  difficulties.  There  can  be  no  argument  as  to  the 
duty  of  the  interior  Jewish  communities  to  relieve  the 
situation  in  New  York  City.  In  fact,  as  soon  as  the 
situation  was  presented  in  its  true  light,  a  large  number 
of  cities  were  willing  to  do  their  share  and  anxious  to 
co-operate  in  this  movement. 

The  question  arose,  however,  as  to  what  criteria 
should  be  used  in  the  selection  of  those  who  were  to  be 
sent  and  the  points  of  destination.  It  was  decided  that 
the  application  for  removal  should  be  received  by  the 
office  in  New  York;  various  facts  pertaining  to  the 
desirability  of  the  apphcant  were  to  be  secured  by  the 
office  and  verified;  these  facts  were  then  to  be  submitted 
to  the  prospective  destinations  where  the  co-operators 
were  to  judge  whether,  in  their  opinion,  the  particular 
case  in  question  might  properly  be  sent.  These  requisi- 
tions for  permission  to  send  a  case  include,  besides  the 
name,  age,  social  state,  nationality,  and  so  on,  the  trade, 
earnings,  duration  of  unemployment,  etc.  Should  the 
community  decide  to  accept  the  applicant,  it  so  notifies 
the  office  in  New  York.  The  applicant  is  furnished  his 
transportation,  funds  for  incidental  expenses  on  the 
road,  and  a  letter  of  introduction  to  a  local  agent,  who 
has  been  informed,  usually  by  telegraph,  of  the  time  of 
arrival,  to  provide  temporary  shelter  and  food  and  to 
make  efforts  to  secure  work  as  speedily  as  possible.    In 


ii8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  great  majority  of  cases  this  arrangement  has  worked 
out  admirably. 

As  the  success  of  the  movement  depended  as  much 
upon  the  prospective  apphcant  as  it  did  upon  any  other 
influence,  it  became  necessary  to  carry  on  a  systematic 
propaganda  among  the  immigrant  classes  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  To  accomplish  this,  various  methods  were 
employed,  i.  "The  Experiment  at  Ellis  Island":  the 
services  of  a  well-known  Yiddish  orator  and  Rabbi  were 
secured  to  meet  the  immigrants  at  Ellis  Island,  there  to 
talk  with  them,  explaining  the  situation  in  New  York, 
the  difficulty  of  finding  work  and  the  evils  resulting 
from  the  overcrowded  conditions  in  the  Metropolis. 
In  addition,  pamphlets  in  Yiddish  setting  forth  salient 
facts,  were  distributed  among  the  immigrants.  Another 
man  was  engaged  to  supplement  the  above  work,  by 
visiting  the  immigrants  in  their  homes,  to  explain  the 
purpose  of  the  Removal  Work.  Still  another  man  was 
engaged  to  address  the  various  lodges  and  societies  on 
the  East  Side  with  a  view  to  presenting  the  movement 
in  its  true  light  and  to  give  people  the  opportunity  of 
learning  something  about  the  interior  of  the  United 
States.  All  this  propaganda  was  not  engaged  in  for  the 
purpose  of  coaxing  people  out  of  New  York  City  against 
their  will,  but  merely  to  bring  people's  notice  to  the 
existence  of  the  office.  It  succeeded  in  arousing  the 
interest  of  the  population  to  such  an  extent,  that  within 
a  very  short  time  after  the  office  was  inaugurated,  all 
further  propaganda  was  discontinued  because  of  the 
large  number  of  applicants  that  came  to  the  ofi&ce 


DISTRIBUTION  119 

determined  to  avail  themselves,  if  possible,  of  the 
opportunity  to  start  life  anew  in  more  favorable  sur- 
roundings in  the  interior. 

However,  other  forms  of  propaganda  were  resorted  to 
from  time  to  time  by  means  of  literature  and  exposi- 
tions, showing  the  settlement  of  Jews  in  the  United 
States;  the  general  and  the  Jewish  population  in  various 
localities;  photographs  of  living  conditions  in  the  inte- 
rior as  contrasted  with  conditions  in  the  overcrowded 
Jewish  sections  of  New  York;  cost  of  living  in  the 
interior;  the  industrial  activities  of  various  cities  and 
towns  in  the  country;  public  lectures  illustrated  by 
slides,  articles  in  the  Jewish  press,  etc. 

Within  a  few  years  after  the  movement  was  first 
inaugurated,  the  work  of  the  office,  and  the  number  of 
applicants  thereto,  assumed  such  large  proportions, 
that  it  became  possible  to  discontinue  practically  every 
form  of  propaganda,  as  the  momentum  itself,  of  the 
work,  and  the  reports  of  the  successful  settlement  of  the 
great  majority  of  persons  sent  by  the  ofiice  in  the  in- 
terior, brought  to  the  office  daily,  a  far  larger  number  of 
desirable  applicants  than  for  whom  it  could  properly 
make  provision.  Occasionally,  however,  the  Yiddish 
press  was  resorted  to  for  advertisements  calling  for 
special  types  of  highly  skilled  artisans — such  as  were 
not  usually  included  among  the  general  type  of  appli- 
cants. 


I20  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

F.  Reception  of  Newcomers 

The  question  as  to  the  first  reception  of  the  removal 
case  is  quite  important.  In  some  cities  a  special  board- 
ing house  is  patronized  where  all  of  the  I.  R.  O.  cases  are 
placed  upon  their  arrival.  In  other  cities,  different 
places  are  patronized  so  as  not  to  form  a  center,  which 
may  cause  dissatisfaction  and  hinder  the  progress  of  all 
through  the  failure  of  one.  It  was  found  necessary  to 
provide  educational  and  social  features  and  facihties  for 
the  newcomers,  for  in  the  absence  of  these,  many  of  the 
removal  cases  became  homesick.  They  missed  the 
social  life  and  atmosphere,  and  not  unfrequently  left  for 
another  city  or  returned  to  New  York  before  making  a 
thorough  effort  to  orient  themselves  in  the  city  of 
destination. 

While  in  some  cities  the  entire  work  is  vested  in  the 
hands  of  a  paid  agent  of  the  I.  R.  0.  who  works  under 
the  supervision  of  a  small  committee  composed  of 
representative  members  of  the  community,  in  other 
localities  it  is  a  function  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
B  'nai  B  'rith  with  a  large  committee  at  the  head.  Again, 
in  other  cities,  especially  in  the  smaller  communities, 
the  Jewish  Congregation  takes  charge,  with  the  Rabbis 
in  charge  of  the  actual  work. 

G.  Relation  to  Relief  Agencies 

The  work  of  the  I.  R.  0.  cases  requires  great  tact  and 
much  patience.  This  is  probably  the  reason  that  it  was 
found  advantageous  to  employ  a  special  agent  to  look 
after  these  cases.    In  isolated  instances,  the  Industrial 


DISTRIBUTION  121 

Removal  Office  case  becomes  dependent  and  falls  a 
burden  on  the  local  community.  As  a  result  of  several 
of  these  instances,  controversy  arose  as  to  the  residence 
of  the  dependent. 

It  was  finally  decided  at  the  Memphis  Conference  of 
Jewish  Charities  in  19 14  that  the  Industrial  Removal 
Office  case  becomes  a  resident  in  the  city  of  destination 
immediately  upon  arrival  and  need  not  wait  the  cus- 
tomary nine  months'  probationary  period. 

Because  of  the  peculiar  origin  of  the  Industrial  Re- 
moval Office  cases  that  become  dependent,  the  danger 
of  making  the  applicant  more  or  less  dependent  is 
extremely  great.  This  tendency  is  often  responsible  for 
a  cooling  off  of  the  desire  on  the  part  of  communities 
for  further  co-operation  with  the  Industrial  Removal 
Office.  On  the  whole,  however,  the  progress  made  by 
this  movement  is  controlled  almost  exclusively  by 
economic  conditions.  Thus,  cyclical  fluctuations  of 
labor  demand  are  reflected  in  the  number  of  re- 
movals. 

H.  Results  of  the  Industrial  Removal  Office 

Work 

An  intensive  survey  of  the  work  of  the  Industrial 
Removal  Office  was  presented  in  its  twelfth  annual 
report,  and  gives  a  definite  idea  of  the  character  and 
scope  of  the  work  achieved.  From  1901  to  191 2,  in- 
clusive, 59,729  people  were  sent  from  New  York  City. 
The  number  of  cities  and  towns  reached  was  1,474, 
situated  in  every  state  of  the  Union.    Quite  a  number 


122  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

were  sent  to  Canada,  one  to  Argentine,  and  nine  to 
Brazil.  Besides  this,  the  two  branches  in  Boston  and 
Philadelphia  during  an  existence  of  nine  years  distrib- 
uted 5,817  persons,  making  a  grand  total  of  64,546. 

I.  The  Galveston  Movement 

The  work  of  removal  discussed  thus  far  refers  to  the 
immigration  to  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  more  especially, 
if  not  solely,  to  New  York  City.  A  radical  and  rational 
departure  from  this  particular  problem  and  as  a  corol- 
lary principle  of  the  Removal  Office  is  presented  by 
what  has  since  become  known  as  the  Galveston  Move- 
ment.^ 

Inaugurated  and  supported  by  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  this 
movement  was  initiated  and  dedicated  in  1907  to  the 
deflecting  of  some  part  of  the  large  immigration  which 
had  been  flowing  almost  exclusively  to  the  ports  of  the 
North  Atlantic  States,  and  directing  the  deflected 
portion  toward  the  gulf,  with  a  view  of  distributing 
these  immigrants  over  the  American  "hinterland"  west 
of  the  Mississippi.  Galveston  was  chosen  as  the  most 
available  port  of  entrance,  and  a  Jewish  Information 
Bureau  was  estabUshed  there  for  this  purpose.  With 
the  co-operation  of  the  Jewish  TerritoriaUst  Organiza- 
tion (I.  T.  O.)  propaganda  was  conducted  in  Russia 
and  Roumania  to  acquaint  the  prospective  emigrants 
with  the  advantages  of  settHng  in  the  less  densely 
populated  section  of  the  United  States  west  of  the 

1  "The  Galveston  Movement,"  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  in  "Jewish  Chari- 
ties," Vol.  IV,  No.  II,  June,  1914,  Baltimore. 


DISTRIBUTION  123 

Mississippi  River  and  for  this  purpose  to  enter  the 
United  States  through  the  port  of  Galveston,  rather 
than  through  the  congested  North  Atlantic  ports 
of  entry.  Upon  their  arrival,  the  immigrants  were 
met  by  a  representative  of  the  Bureau  of  Informa- 
tion, who  directed  them  efficiently  over  the  territory 
between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Pacific  and  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  and  the  Dominion.  The  amount  expended 
for  the  distribution  of  immigrants,  maintenance  until 
employment  had  been  secured,  and  other  incidentals 
of  the  movement,  is  given  for  seven  years,  up  to  1914 
as  $300,000.  During  this  period  there  have  been  dis- 
tributed from  nine  to  ten  thousand  immigrants  who 
have  come  to  Galveston.  The  existence  of  but  one 
steamship  line  from  Bremen  to  Galveston,  and  a  long 
ocean  voyage,  lasting  twenty-three  days,  caused  con- 
siderable dissatisfaction  among  the  immigrants.  Un- 
fortunately the  United  States  Government  did  not 
always  show  itself  as  sympathetic  with  the  movement 
as  the  committee  believed  it  was  justified  in  expecting. 

Chapter  Eight.    Distribution 
Questions 

1.  What  is  the  problem  of  distribution? 

2.  What  are  the  functions  of  the  Industrial  Removal  Office? 

3.  What  were  the  co-operative  agencies? 

4.  Describe  the  local  organization. 

5.  State  the  three  classes  of  Removal  Office  cases. 

6.  State  the  method  of  handling  Industrial  Removal  Office 
cases. 

7.  Discuss  the  difficulties. 


124  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

8.  Describe  the  reception  of  newcomers  and  their  relations 
to  relief  agencies. 

9.  State  the  result  and  progress  of  the  Industrial  Removal 
Office  work. 

10.  What  was  the  Galveston  Movement,  and  why  was  it 
abandoned? 


IX 

THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOH.  MOVEMENT 

Among  the  diJBferent  attempts  to  cope  with  the 
problem  of  congestion  and  in  general  to  divert  the 
Jewish  population  from  the  large  cities,  the  plan  to 
induce  the  newcomer  to  follow  farming  as  a  pursuit 
deserves  special  mention.  It  is  an  interesting  phenom- 
enon in  Jewish  philanthropy  that  an  attempt  is  made 
to  utilize  the  new  immigrant  in  experiments  tending 
toward  the  redemption  of  the  name  of  Israel. 

A.  Early  Attempts 

The  ambition  of  the  American  Jews  to  develop 
Jewish  farmers  is  not  of  recent  origin.  As  early  as 
1820,  an  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  settlement 
at  Grand  Island,  N.  Y.,  and  then  again  in  1837.  These 
settlements  known  as  Shalom,  in  a  few  years  were 
given  up  as  failures.  In  1853,  a  society  was  organized 
known  as  the  American  Hebrew  Agricultural  Associa- 
tion, for  the  purpose  of  establishing  an  agricultural 
school.  Individual  attempts  to  settle  "on  land"  were 
made  at  different  times  and  at  different  localities, 
colonies  of  various  descriptions  were  planned  and  some 
of  them  settled,  but  all  of  these  enterprizes  made  little 
impression,  and  with  but  a  few  exceptions  their  lives 
were  short. 

1 25 


126  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

The  real  beginning  of  Jewish  agricultural  movements 
in  the  United  States  dates  from  the  large  influx  of 
Russian  immigrants.  In  1881  a  colony  was  started  in 
Sicily  Island,  La.  The  Alliance  IsraeHte  Universelle 
assisted  in  this  project.  The  following  spring  one  of 
the  Mississippi  floods  devastated  the  entire  colony. 
Some  of  the  remaining  pioneers  attempted  to  settle 
on  Government  land  in  South  Dakota,  and  named 
their  new  place  Cremiet.  Here  the  results  were  also 
unfortunate;  the  colony  was  abandoned  after  three 
years  of  hard  struggle.  In  1882,  two  colonies  were 
started,  by  the  Immigrant  Aid  Society  of  New  York, 
one  in  Colorado  and  the  other  in  New  Jersey,  and  still 
another  by  philanthropists  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia. Quite  an  interesting  attempt  was  made  by  a 
group  of  Russian  immigrants — socialists, — settling  in 
a  colony  named  New  Odessa,  in  Oregon.  They  called 
themselves  the  Sons  of  the  Free.  This  also  proved  a 
failure.  The  St.  Paul  Community  tried  to  help  a  group 
of  people  who  occupied  Government  lands  in  North 
Dakota,  while  Cincinnati  Jews  were  interested  in  a 
colony  in  Kansas.  In  the  latter  state,  three  other 
colonies  were  estabhshed  by  the  Montefiore  Agricul- 
tural Aid  Society  of  New  York.  All  these,  as  many 
other  pioneer  efforts  in  this  direction,  had  similar 
careers  and  resulted  in  the  same  sad  ending. 

The  only  colonies  of  this  early  period  that  were 
destined  to  continue  their  existence  were  those  of  New 
Jersey.  Despite  considerable  hardships  and  many 
disappointments,  these  colonies  succeeded  in  coping 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  127 

with  the  difficulties.  While  natural  advantages  were 
few,  the  proximity  of  these  colonies  to  New  York 
and  Philadelphia  kept  them  in  touch  with  sources 
where  they  could  affect,  and  actually  received,  timely 
financial  support.     Many  a  crisis  was  thus  arrested. 

B.  The  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society 

The  movement  for  Jewish  agriculture  received  great 
impetus  in  the  organization  of  the  Baron  De  Hirsch 
Fund  and  the  establishment  of  the  Jewish  Agricultural 
and  Industrial  Aid  Society.  The  fundamental  ac- 
tivity of  the  Jewish  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid 
Society  is  the  rendering  of  financial  assistance  to  those 
desiring  to  become  farmers,  and  to  enable  those  who 
are  already  on  the  farm  to  maintain  their  foothold. 
The  financial  assistance  consists  of  granting  loans  for 
the  purchase  of  the  farm,  equipment  or  other  urgent 
needs.  The  rate  of  interest  is  5  per  cent  and  the  prin- 
cipal is  payable  in  small  installments.  Most  of  the 
loans  are  on  second  mortgages.  In  some  instances 
loans  are  granted  on  third  and  even  fourth  mortgages, 
supplemented  sometimes  by  chattel  mortgages  or  other 
collateral.  Up  to  191 6,  the  society  made  3,714  loans 
to  3,151  individual  farmers,  amounting  to  $2,100,263.89. 
It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  over  one-half  of  the  loans 
are  already  repaid. 

Since  1908,  the  society  has  pubHshed  an  agricultural 
paper  in  Yiddish,  the  "Jewish  Farmer"  edited  by 
Joseph  Pincus.  It  conducts  a  farm  labor  bureau  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  the  Jewish  young  men  an  oppor- 


128  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tiinity  of  learning  something  at  least  of  practical  farm- 
ing, and  incidentally,  to  find  out  to  his  own  satisfaction 
whether  he  is  fit  for  it  by  incHnation  or  otherwise. 

It  organized  nineteen  credit  unions,  the  first  and  so 
far  the  only  co-operative  agricultural  banks  in  America. 
The  Society  was  instrumental  in  the  organization  of 
the  Federation  of  Jewish  Farmers  of  America,  mth 
sixty-three  constituent  farmers'  associations,  and  a 
total  membership  of  over  1,500.  It  also  assisted  the 
organization  of  a  co-operative  fire  insurance  company, 
and  other  co-operative  enterprizes  among  Jewish 
farmers.^ 

C.  The  Extent  of  Jewish  Farming 

The  extent  of  Jewish  farming  at  the  present  time  is 
difficult  to  ascertain  definitely.  However,  the  statis- 
tical data  of  the  Jewish  Agricultural  and  Industrial 
Aid  Society  is  quite  illuminating.  The  organization 
came  in  touch  with  3,118  Jewish  farming  families, 
comprising  an  estimated  population  of  18,590  souls. 
There  are  3,438  farms  with  an  estimated  total  acreage 
of  437,265  acres,  and  land  value  of  $22,196,335;  value 
of  equipment  of  $4,166,329.  This,  according  to  the 
opinion  of  the  United  States  Immigration  Commis- 
sion, represents  only  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  Jewish 
farmers  in  the  coimtry.  A  fair  estimate  of  the  extent 
of  Jewish  farming  in  the  United  States  would,  there- 
fore, be  about  5,000  families,  comprising  a  population 
of  about  25,000  souls,  occupying  an  acreage  of  about 
1  "American  Jewish  Year  Book,"  1915-16. 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  129 

600,000  acres  and  having  a  value  in  real  and  personal 
property  of  about  $33,000,000.^  While  Jewish  farmers 
are  to  be  found  in  every  part  of  the  United  States, 
the  most  important  settlements  are  those  in  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  in  the 
East;  Ohio  and  Michigan  in  the  Middle  West,  and 
North  Dakota  in  the  Northwest.  In  1891  the  Baron 
De  Hirsch  Fund  assumed  the  care  of  the  South  New 
Jersey  Colonies,  whereupon  they  were  transferred  to 
the  Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society.  Besides 
making  loans  of  money  to  farmers,  an  attempt  has  been 
made  to  encourage  industry,  so  as  to  provide  employ- 
ment for  the  non-agricultural  element,  as  well  as  for 
the  farmers  and  their  children  in  poor  seasons.  The 
paternal  supervision  of  the  colonies,  however,  has  been 
gradually  curtailed;  industrial  subventions  have  been 
systematically  reduced;  and  the  economic  independ- 
ence of  the  older  colonies  has  been  practically  estab- 
lished. 

D.  Recent  Efforts 

For  the  last  few  years,  new  attempts  have  been  made 
to  promote  agricultural  colonies.  An  organization  of 
Jewish  immigrants,  largely  residents  of  Philadelphia, 
formed  the  Jewish  Agricultural  and  Colonial  Associa- 
tion, and  purchased,  in  191 1,  directly  from  the  State  of 
Utah,  a  tract  of  land  of  about  six  thousand  acres  of 
plateau  lands.     The  plan  calls  for  the  settlement  of 

^  "Agricultural  Activities  of  Jews  in  America,"  Leonard  G.  Robin- 
son, "  American  Jewish  Year  Book,"  191 2-13. 


I30  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

one  hundred  and  fifty  families.  The  entire  tract  was  to 
be  cultivated  on  a  co-operative  basis  until  the  settle- 
ment is  completed,  when  it  will  be  parcelled  out  into 
forty-acre  tracts  for  each  family.  The  Utah  Coloniza- 
tion Fund  was  incorporated  by  a  number  of  prominent 
Jews  of  Salt  Lake  City  to  finance  the  individual  mem- 
bers who  may  settle  on  the  land. 

In  191 2,  a  five- thousand  acre  tract  of  land  was  bought 
in  Texas  by  the  Jewish  Farmers  Association  of  St.  Louis, 
who  are  establishing  an  Ida  Strauss  Colony  there, 
named  in  memory  of  Ida  Strauss,  who,  with  her  hus- 
band, Isidor  Strauss,  perished  in  the  Titanic  disaster. 
All  these  efforts  represent  only  a  weak  endeavor  and 
have  been  given  up  as  unsuccessful  ventures. 

E.  Woodbine 

The  most  striking  attempt  along  the  establishment  of 
a  Jewish  Agricultural  Colony  on  a  larger  scale  has  been 
made  in  Woodbine,  New  Jersey,  founded  in  1 891  by  the 
Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund.  A  tract  of  five  thousand  three 
hundred  acres  of  land  was  purchased  at  seven  dollars  an 
acre  and  placed  in  charge  of  an  agriculturist.  Professor 
H.  L.  Sabsovich,^  to  whose  untiring  energy  and  self- 

^  Professor  Sabsovich  was  born  in  Russia  in  i860,  where  he  received 
a  general  education.  Later  he  took  a  three  years'  course  at  the  Agri- 
cultural School  of  the  Federal  Polytechnicum  in  Zurich,  Switzerland. 
He  was  agricultural  chemist  at  the  University  of  Odessa,  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  1888  and  occupied  the  post  of  agricultural 
chemist  of  the  Colorado  State  Agricultural  College.  When  in  Russia, 
Professor  Sabsovich  took  active  part  in  Jewish  communal  affairs, 
was  organizer  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  in  Odessa  during  the  anti- 
Jewish  riots  of  1 88 1,  and  later  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Am  Olam, 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  131 

sacrifice  is  due  in  no  small  measure  the  success  of  the 
Woodbine  colony. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  the  obstacles  that  were  met 
with  in  Woodbine  by  the  pioneer  settlers.  The  land 
was  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  scrub  oak  and  pine ; 
the  settlers  were  housed  in  a  temporary  shack;  they 
were  not  used  to  manual  labor,  nor  prepared  for  the 
great  task  that  confronted  them.  Their  families  were 
left  in  New  York  until  the  land  could  be  cleared,  and 
housing  facilities  provided.  The  pioneers  were  paid 
for  the  work  they  performed,  but,  even  then,  many 
left,  unable  to  do  the  hard  labor.  However,  the  settle- 
ment succeeded;  considerable  land  was  cleared,  houses 
built,  and  about  fifty  families  moved  to  Woodbine. 
Agriculturally,  Woodbine  made  little  progress.  The 
soil  and  the  climatic  conditions  were  poorly  adapted 
to  general  farming,  and  required  unusual  efforts  to 
make  it  successful.  From  the  very  beginning,  a  certain 
area  was  designated  for  a  town  site  and  here  is  where 
Woodbine  developed  rather  as  an  industrial  settlement. 

F.  The  Industrial  Settlement 

Now  a  new  idea  was  propounded.  If  it  could  be 
possible  to  establish  industries  in  the  rural  districts,  the 
workers  would  leave  the  city  and  go  where  their  earning 
was  assured.    Thus  by  certain  grants  a  clothing  factory 

one  of  the  intellectual  groups  that  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
in  the  eighties. 

When  appointed  as  leader  of  the  new  enterprize,  Professor  Sabso- 
vich  gave  himself  to  the  cause,  and  relentlessly  applied  himself  to 
make  Woodbine  a  success. 


132  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

was  induced  to  start  operation  in  Woodbine.  Later 
other  industries  were  instituted, — a  machine  shop,  a  hat 
factory,  a  knitting  factory,  and  so  on.  These  factories 
were  housed  in  brick  buildings  built  by  the  Baron  De 
Hirsch  Fund,  operating  what  is  now  known  as  the 
Woodbine  Land  and  Improvement  Company. 

G.  Self-government 

In  1903,  Woodbine,  by  act  of  the  Legislature,  was 
made  a  separate  borough.  It  is  unique  in  being  the 
only  municipality  in  the  country  in  which  all  the  offices 
are  filled  by  Jews.  Now  the  town  presents  quite  a 
prosperous  appearance,  the  streets  are  wide,  lighted 
with  electricity,  well  made.  The  houses  are  quite 
artistic,  a  number  of  them  built  of  concrete.  Lawns 
and  trees  add  to  the  general  impression.  There  are  a 
number  of  public  buildings,  including  a  townhall, 
schools,  synagogue,  etc.  The  population  is  about  two 
thousand.  Most  of  the  inhabitants  are  employed  in  the 
different  factories.  There  are  quite  a  number  of  retail 
stores,  a  hotel,  two  moving  picture  shows,  dance  halls,  a 
garage,  and  other  comforts  of  city  life.  The  schools  in 
Woodbine  are  especially  good.  There  is  a  high  school 
and  three  primary  school  buildings.  There  are  a  large 
number  of  social  organizations,  showing  a  great  deal  of 
social  spirit,  a  volunteer  fire  brigade,  a  brass  band,  a 
civic  club,  and  so  on. 

The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund  has  performed  functions 
usually  undertaken  by  a  real  estate  development  com- 
pany, in  laying  out  streets,  building  factories,  a  power 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  133 

house,  waterworks,  and  so  on,  but  it  has  sedulously 
refrained  from  eleemosynary  gifts,  its  altruistic  purpose 
being  expressed  in  the  elimination  of  promoters'  profits 
and  in  bearing  all  risks  and  administrative  expenses. 

H.  The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricultural  School 

In  connection  with  Woodbine,  consideration  should 
be  given  to  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricultural  School, 
established  there  in  1894,  The  School  was  primarily 
intended  for  the  children  of  the  colonists,  but  later  its 
scope  was  enlarged,  and  a  regular  course  in  agriculture 
was  introduced  catering  to  the  boys  of  the  city,  who  in 
this  way  could  prepare  themselves  for  agriculture.  Be- 
tween the  years  1894  and  191 2,  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-one  students  attended  this  school,  of  whom 
four  hundred  and  nine  completed  the  course  and  were 
graduated.  The  school  has  also  had  quite  a  stormy 
career.  The  curriculum  has  had  to  be  changed  quite 
frequently.  This  idea  of  preparing  plain  farmers  was 
not  an  easy  matter,  the  boys  were  too  ambitious  and 
strove  for  higher  callings.  Many  of  them  made  good, 
and  distinguished  themselves  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  became 
teachers,  veterinary  surgeons,  or  continued  their  educa- 
tions at  college.  It  was  then  suggested  that  general 
scientific  instruction  be  eliminated  and  the  course 
shortened.  It  is  rather  curious  to  mention  that  on 
many  occasions  the  pupils  have  rebelled,  organized 
strikes,  and  caused  considerable  confusion.  However, 
matters  seemed  to  have  been  adjusted,  and  the  school  is 


134  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

operating  smoothly.  The  last  annual  report  states  that 
from  thirty-seven  to  forty  per  cent  of  the  graduates 
remain  in  agricultural  pursuits.^ 

I.  The  National  Farm  School 

In  1896,  Rabbi  Joseph  Krauskopf  founded  another 
agricultural  school  at  Doylestown,  Pennsylvania,  known 
as  the  National  Farm  School.  This  school  is  pictur- 
esquely located  in  one  of  the  best  farming  sections  of 
eastern  Pennsylvania,  and  occupies  about  four  hundred 
acres.  It  aims  especially  to  afford  agricultural  training 
to  young  men  who  are  not  prepared  to  enter  State 
Agricultural  Colleges.  The  institution  is  supported  by 
private  subscriptions  from  all  parts  of  the  country  and 
by  annual  appropriations  from  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Since  1901,  the  school  has  graduated  about 
one  hundred  and  seventy-four  students,  many  of  whom 
have  since  distinguished  themselves  as  experts  in  va- 
rious branches  of  agriculture  as  teachers  and  farm 
managers.  The  success  of  this  school  is  chiefly  due  to 
the  devotion  and  enthusiasm  of  Dr.  Joseph  Krauskopf. 
At  the  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities  in 
Philadelphia,  in  1906,  Dr.  Krauskopf  read  a  paper  on 
"Agricultural  Education, — its  Possibilities  in  Preven- 
tive Charity"  in  which  he  eloquently  presented  the 
shattering  influences  of  city  life  and  pleaded  that  the 
different  organizations  composing  the  Conference  set 
aside  annually  a  sum  sufficient  for  part  payment  of  a 

'  Report  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricul- 
tural School,  1915. 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  135 

number  of  tracts  of  arable,  properly  located,  lands,  and 
for  the  expense  involved  in  the  starting  of  a  new  settle- 
ment. "It  will  be  a  philanthropy  that,  though  involv- 
ing a  considerable  expense  at  first,  will  be  cheapest  in 
the  long  run.  It  wiU  make  laborers  instead  of  paupers, 
bread  producers  instead  of  bread  beggars."  This  plea 
was  not  followed  by  any  definite  action. 

J.  General  Suggestions 

Dr.  Morris  Loeb  commenting  upon  progress  of  the 
various  Jewish  agricultural  activities  in  America  ex- 
pressed very  deep  thoughts  as  to  the  lesson  that  the 
experiences  of  the  past  suggest,  and  among  other  things 
says:  "Those  who  try  to  foster  agricultural  tendencies 
among  the  Jews  must  seek  means  that  do  not  differ  in 
principle  from  those  to  be  adopted  in  connection  with 
any  agricultural  movement.  Wherever  this  common 
sense  rule  is  neglected,  wherever  colonists  are  planted 
in  localities  not  suitably  chosen,  wherever  the  colonists 
themselves  are  not  selected  with  regard  to  their  intel- 
lectual, physical,  and  moral  fitness,  wherever  they  are 
not  sufficiently  equipped  with  agricultural  implements, 
as  well  as  agricultural  knowledge,  wherever  they  lack 
the  means  to  await  the  harvesting  of  the  first  successful 
crop,  the  colonies  are  bound  to  fail;  and  it  is  the  neg- 
lect of  one  or  other  of  these  essentials  that  has  caused 
so  many  bitter  disappointments  in  the  past  among 
the  innumerable  agricultural  settlements,  Jewish  and 
others — which  have  been  placed  in  so  many  different 
parts  of  the  world  during  the  past  fifty  years.     The 


136  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

worst  mistake  of  all  is  that  of  placing  paupers  in  an 
agricultural  colony  with  the  idea  that  they  must  suc- 
ceed there,  when  they  have  failed  in  industrial  or  finan- 
cial pursuits.  The  true  pauper  lacks  the  essentials  for 
the  successful  farmer  in  the  same  degree;  namely,  will 
power  and  the  capacity  for  sustained  effort.  An  agricul- 
tural colony,  composed  largely  of  industrial  failures,  will 
be  an  agricultural  failure  as  well.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  must  be  remembered  that  paternal  administration  of  a 
colony  will  certainly  repel  the  ablest  and  most  progres- 
sive settlers,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Alliance 
Israelite  Universelle,  the  Jewish  Colonization  Associa- 
tion, as  well  as  the  American  organizations  dealing  with 
the  same  problems,  are  endeavoring,  as  far  as  possible, 
to  reduce  the  paternal  system  in  the  form  of  adminis- 
trators dwelling  within  the  colonies,  and  to  substitute 
therefor  local  self-government,  with  the  aid  of  traveling 
agricultural  and  administrative  advisers.  The  results 
seem  to  have  been  most  encouraging,  and  such  colonies 
have  not  only  succeeded  in  retaining  their  original 
membership,  but  have  attracted  additional  energetic 
settlers.  An  artificially-planted  colony,  however,  is,  at 
best,  a  makeshift  as  compared  with  voluntary  acquisi- 
tion of  land  by  the  settler  himself,  and  it  is  here  that  the 
greatest  development  must  be  expected  in  the  future, 
inasmuch  as  this  follows  the  natural  course  of  events 
and  is  free  from  any  artificial  stimulus,  whose  removal 
might  lead  to  a  collapse  of  the  enterprise."  ^ 

1  "Afterword,"  by  Professor  Morris  Loeb,  "Jewish  Year  Book," 
1912-13. 


THE  BACK  TO  THE  SOIL  MOVEMENT  137 

Quite  an  interesting  experiment  was  made  by  the 
Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid  Society  in  establishing 
a  test  farm  at  Kings  Park,  L.  I.^  A  tract  of  five  hundred 
acres  of  good  land  was  purchased  there  and  equipped 
with  modern  buildings  and  farming  implements. 
Houses  were  erected  for  twelve  families.  The  heads  of 
the  families  were  provided  with  work  as  farm  laborers, 
thus  learning  American  methods  of  agriculture.  They 
were  also  allowed  a  small  plot  of  ground  for  raising  the 
garden  truck  needed  for  the  use  of  their  families.  After 
a  few  years,  this  experiment  proved  unsuccessful,  and 
the  plan  had  to  be  given  up. 

Chapter  Nine.    Back  to  the  Soil  Movement 
Questions 

1.  Describe  the  first  attempts  in  establishing  Jewish  Agri- 
cultural Colonies. 

2.  State  the  different  activities  of  the  Agricultural  and  In- 
dustrial Aid  Society. 

3.  What  is  the  extent  of  Jewish  agriculture  in  the  U.  S.? 

4.  What  are  the  recent  attempts  towards  Jewish  colonization 
in  the  United  States? 

5.  Describe  the  building  up  of  the  Woodbine  colony. 

6.  What  role  did  industry  play  in  Woodbine? 

7.  In  what  way  did  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund  avoid  pauper- 
ization of  the  colonists? 

8.  Describe  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Agricultural  School. 

9.  Describe  the  National  Farm  School. 

10.  What  are  the  important  suggestions  of  Professor  Morris 
Loeb  in  regard  to  the  promotion  of  Jewish  agriculture? 


^  "The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund,"  by  Eugene  Benjamin,  National 
Conference  of  Jewish  Charities.    St.  Louis,  1906. 


X 

RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS 

The  largest  part  of  Jewish  organized  philanthropic 
effort  of  to-day  deals  with  a  more  or  less  chronic  de- 
pendency, a  dependency  of  people  who  have  acquired 
their  residence,  and  whose  condition  is  due  to  circum- 
stances beyond  their  control. 

A.  The  Sick 

The  most  important  of  these  elements  is  sickness. 
While  a  family,  under  normal  conditions  may  be  able 
to  retain  itself  on  a  self-supporting  basis,  in  case  of 
sickness,  it  is  compelled  to  apply  for  outside  assistance. 
Free  medical  help  is  the  most  popular  form  of  relief 
in  this  instance.  Because  of  the  urgent  need  and  the 
appealing  nature  of  the  work,  agencies  giving  free 
medical  aid  readily  find  generous  support,  and  with 
the  anxiety  on  the  part  of  the  medical  profession  to 
utilize  the  large  material  of  the  indigent  patient,  there 
is  seldom  difficulty  in  getting  free  medical  service. 
Thus  we  find  free  dispensaries,  clinics,  and  hospitals, 
supported  and  maintained  by  Jewish  contributors, 
attended  by  Jewish  physicians,  and  patronized  by 
Jewish  patients. 

With  the  development  of  municipal  and  state  facili- 
ties, it  would  seem  that  the  necessity  for  specifically 

138 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  139 

Jewish  agencies  would  become  of  lesser  and  lesser  im- 
portance. However,  when  the  Jewish  dispensary  is 
able  to  reach  its  patients  more  effectively,  where,  be- 
cause of  its  limited  scope  it  is  capable  of  offering  better 
and  more  thorough  attention,  where,  because  of  the 
close  connection  with  the  very  life  of  the  patient,  the 
follow  up  work  can  be  more  successfully  carried  out, 
the  existence,  nay  even  the  establishment  of  new 
agencies,  is  quite  justifiable.  There  is  a  possibility 
that,  because  of  loose  system  and  a  multiplicity  of 
agencies,  the  patients,  instead  of  deriving  benefits  from 
one  center,  w^ill,  in  search  of  a  remedy,  utilize  a  number 
of  agencies,  and  thus  get  negative  results.  Therefore, 
a  strict  and  persistent  system  of  records  and  a  legiti- 
mate stringency  in  the  acceptance  of  new  patients  is 
absolutely  necessary.  It  is  a  moot  question  whether 
the  free  dispensary  should  receive  a  fee  from  patients. 
The  one  who  is  able  to  pay  should  apply  to  a  private 
physician.  A  dispensary,  however,  serving  indigent 
patients,  should  put  no  additional  hardships  upon  its 
constituency.  In  many  instances,  the  dispensary  is 
an  adjunct  of  a  relief  agency. 

Free  medical  attendance  is,  after  all,  material  relief 
given  in  the  form  of  service.  Its  administration,  there- 
fore, should  be  careful  and  intelligent,  and  the  services 
offered  should  be  efficient.  The  close  connection  of  the 
dispensary  with  a  relief  agency,  if  properly  conducted, 
answers  the  purpose.  The  responsibility  here  is  placed 
with  the  attending  physician,  and  the  medical  services 
are  supplemented  by  social  services,  which  play  an 


I40  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

important  part  in  the  course  of  treatment.  At  all 
events,  the  poor  must  be  provided  with  the  best  pos- 
sible medical  aid,  for  to  the  poor,  health  is  the  only 
asset  upon  which  they  can  rely  to  preserve  their  equi- 
librium and  to  save  themselves  from  becoming  perma- 
nently dependent  upon  outside  assistance.  Efficient, 
skilled  diagnosis,  made  in  time,  saves  many  a  life  and 
leads  to  speedy  recovery,  preventing  innumerable  com- 
plications. Hence,  no  effort  should  be  spared  in  afford- 
ing the  poor  the  best  medical  aid  obtainable.  The 
utilization  of  the  dispensary  faciUties  for  work  of  pre- 
vention, vaccination,  dental  work,  frequent  examina- 
tion of  children,  milk  stations,  etc.,  makes  this  par- 
ticular agency  of  inestimable  value  and  serves  as  a  great 
educational  factor  in  the  community. 

While  it  is  natural  that  in  many  instances  medical 
aid  offered  free  attracts  a  great  number  of  patients 
with  minor  ailments,  it  easily  gets  the  reputation  of 
detecting  serious  sicknesses.  Besides  the  dispensary 
and  clinic,  the  poor  are  frequently  in  need  of  the  phy- 
sician's aid  in  their  home.  The  sick  are  not  anxious  to 
go  to  the  hospital  with  minor  ailments;  the  patient 
may  be  bedridden,  but  if  it  is  only  for  a  short  time  he 
would  rather  remain  at  home.  Then  again,  there  are 
the  so-called  "non-hospital  cases"  that  are  not  wel- 
comed at  the  hospitals,  and  again,  there  may  be  some 
other  circumstances  that  make  hospital  treatment 
impossible.  The  practicing  physician  among  the  poor 
usually  has  his  quota  of  free  visits,  the  different  philan- 
thropic agencies  usually  having  some  arrangement  to 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  141 

meet  this  particular  demand.  The  visiting  nurse  saves 
time  for  the  doctor.  Frequently,  the  doctor  is  called 
though  there  is  no  urgency  at  all,  and  again,  in  some 
cases,  the  patient  can  call  at  the  dispensary  instead 
of  the  doctor  having  to  pay  a  home  visit.  Thus,  in 
many  cases,  the  nurse  is  sent  first,  and  decides  whether 
a  doctor's  help  is  needed.  Miss  Lillian  Wald  thinks 
that  in  many  instances  the  home  treatment  produces 
better  results  than  the  hospital,  and  refuses  to  enforce 
a  strict  rule  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  sick.^ 
/  Maternity  cases  especially  are  frequently  attended 
at  home,  and  special  societies  are  in  the  field  for  pro- 
viding this  particular  aid.  This  includes  the  doctor, 
nurse,  and  temporary  relief  whenever  it  is  necessary.    ) 

A  number  of  cities  have  one  or  more  Jewish  dis- 
pensaries. A  typical  example  of  a  complete  arrange- 
ment is  the  West  Side  dispensary  in  Chicago,  which  is 
a  part  of  the  Jewish  charities  of  that  city.  For  the 
year  1915  "more  than  64,000  patients  passed  through 
the  dispensary  for  consultation,  and  were  distributed 
among  13  departments.  The  dental  department  now 
has  two  dentists;  6,500  patients  attended  this  clinic. 
A  member  of  the  staff  of  the  Michael  Reese  Hospital 
has  taken  charge  of  the  children's  department  and 
infant  welfare  work.  Mothers  come  to  be  taught  the 
care  and  feeding  of  their  infants.  There  is  a  trained 
social  service  director  who  follows  the  mothers  to  their 
homes  to  see  that  instructions  are  followed  correctly. 
Attendance  at  these  departments  was  about  7,500.    Of 

*  Lillian  Wald,  "Home  Medical  Treatment  for  Needy  Families." 


142  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

more  than  64,000  applicants  at  the  dispensary,  only  a 
little  more  than  500  were  sent  to  the  Michael  Reese 
Hospital,  and  about  the  same  number  to  other  hos- 
pitals, where  contagious  diseases  are  taken.  These 
figures  show  the  value  of  the  dispensary  as  an  out- 
patient department  of  the  hospital.  The  dispensary 
has  three  salaried  physicians,  who  call  at  the  homes 
of  patients  unable  to  come  to  the  dispensary.  These 
patients  are  usually  on  the  verge  of  becoming  hospital 
cases,  but  the  necessity  of  sending  them  to  the  hospital 
is  often  avoided.  The  social  service  department  has 
three  trained  nurses." 

In  the  treatment  of  the  sick  more  and  more  attention 
is  being  paid  to  prevention.  The  general  advance  of 
infant  welfare  work  has  also  been  undertaken  in  the 
Jewish  field.  Pre-natal  care  is  given  to  the  expectant 
mothers.  Special  milk  stations  and  welfare  stations 
are  conducted  in  the  congested  districts.  An  educa- 
tional campaign  among  Jewish  speaking  mothers  is 
carried  on  in  Yiddish,  and  provision  is  made  for  the 
temporary  care  of  babies  in  the  country. 

It  has  been  observed  in  Europe  by  many  statisticians, 
and  in  America  by  Dr.  John  BilHngs,  that  the  birth 
rate  is  lower  among  the  Jews  than  among  the  general 
population.  Leroy  Beaulieu  tersely  expresses  it  thus: 
"  to  make  up  for  the  small  number  of  births,  they  (the 
Jews)  lose  almost  everywhere  a  perceptibly  smaller 
number  of  children  by  death."  Dr.  Maurice  Fishberg 
ascribes  this  phenomenon  to  the  devotion  of  the  Jewess 
as  a  mother;  to  the  fact  that  Jewish  mothers  largely 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  143 

nurse  their  children  themselves  to  the  exclusion  of 
patented  foods  said  by  the  sellers  to  be  "just  as  good 
as  mother's  milk."  ^ 

Interesting  results  of  Jewish  infant  welfare  are  found 
in  the  work  of  the  after  care  circle,  Jewish  Maternity 
Hospital,  presented  by  Elinor  Steinholtz,  at  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Jewish  Social  workers  in  1913.^ 
Of  462  cases,  only  6  died,  a  mortahty  rate  of  a  little 
over  I  per  cent.  The  returns  of  the  Health  Department 
of  the  City  of  New  York  for  the  same  year  showed  1 7  per 
cent.  A  study  of  Jewish  infant  mortality  in  Cincinnati 
for  the  year  191 5  shows  that  of  344  babies  born,  only 
16  died,  or  4.3  per  cent,  whereas  the  Board  of  Health 
reports  a  general  infant  mortality  of  7.8  per  cent. 

B.  School  Hygiene 

Special  attention  has  lately  been  given  to  the  health 
of  school  children.  In  many  cities  the  Council  of  Jewish 
Women  initiated  Penny  Luncheons.  Systematic  medi- 
cal examinations  of  school  children  are  conducted  in 
connection  with  a  number  of  Jewish  agencies,  relief 
societies,  settlements,  and  so  forth.  The  United  Hebrew 
Charities  of  New  York  found  that  there  is  a  large 
number  of  children  physically  handicapped,  needing 
medical  attention,  special  nourishment,  and  so  forth. 
This  leads  to  the  enlargement  of  the  facilities  for  a 
country  stay  for  the  children  in  summer.     In  New 

1  Dr.  Maurice  Fishberg,  "Leaves  from  a  Doctor's  Note  Book." 
"  Jewish  Charities,"  January,  1904. 
^ "  Jewish  Charities,"  1913,  Vol.  Ill,  No.  11. 


144  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

York,  three  Jewish  agencies  are  engaged  in  this  par- 
ticular hne  of  work  and  are  especially  helpful  to  chil- 
dren who  are„  anaemic  and  pre-tubercular.  Special 
nurses  are  in  the  field,  endeavoring  to  get  for  the  chil- 
dren the  necessary  medical  attention,  securing  for  them 
the  necessary  facilities  and  giving  them  attention  as 
far  as  hygiene  and  sanitation  are  concerned.  In  many 
instances  this  work  is  supplementary  to  the  efforts  of 
municipal  agencies. 

C.  Defectives 

The  problem  of  the  care  of  the  Jewish  blind  has  been 
only  recently  taken  up  by  the  Jews  of  this  country. 
Occasionally  a  relief  agency  would  take  care  of  some 
individual  case,  but  no  systematic  effort  was  made  to  do 
work  among  the  blind,  outside  of  the  existing  agencies 
for  the  general  population.  In  some  states,  the  blind 
get  a  pension  from  the  state.  In  New  York  it  averages 
fifty  dollars  per  person  per  year.  In  19 14,  a  Hebrew 
Association  for  the  blind  was  organized  in  New  York 
City.  The  object  of  this  association  is  to  improve  the 
condition  of  the  Jewish  blind  and  prevent  blindness,  to 
endeavor  to  publish  an  accurate  Yiddish  and  Hebrew 
literature  for  the  Jewish  blind,  to  provide  guides  for 
blind  people  when  needed,  to  help  the  Jewish  blind  to 
become  self-supporting.  The  Council  of  Jewish  Women 
is  also  active  in  this  campaign.  The  Society  for  the 
Welfare  of  Jewish  Deaf  was  organized  in  New  York  in 
1 910.  It  is  acknowledged  that  the  United  States  has 
efficient  schools  for  the  deaf  and  that  on  the  whole  the 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  145 

deaf  receive  quite  a  satisfactory  training.  The  trouble, 
however,  begins  after  graduation,  when  the  students  are 
to  gain  their  own  hvehhood  and  become  self-supporting. 
The  above  mentioned  society  conducts  an  employment 
bureau,  arranges  socials  and  entertainments,  provides 
religious  services,  and  gives  necessary  material  relief 
either  in  the  form  of  loans  or  as  grants.  There  are  two 
congregations  of  the  Jewish  deaf,  one  in  Manhattan, 
the  other  in  Brooklyn.  The  number  of  Jewish  deaf  in 
the  United  States  is  not  definitely  known,  however;  the 
aggregate  estimated  by  those  who  handle  the  problem  is 
about  five  thousand. 

There  is  undoubtedly  a  goodly  number  of  Jewish 
children  that  fall  into  the  classes  of  feeble-minded  and 
retarded.  This  is  a  neglected  problem.  The  states  are 
just  now  awakening  to  a  realization  of  the  magnitude  of 
the  situation,  and  only  a  small  portion  of  the  children 
requiring  custodial  care  are  supplied  by  the  existing 
institutions.  In  different  places,  private  initiative  is 
awakened  and  it  is  only  a  matter  of  but  a  short  time 
when  the  Jews  will  respond  to  their  duty  on  behalf  of 
these  unfortunates.  Meanwhile,  it  is  important  to 
know  the  exact  number  of  defective  children,  who  are 
still  without  any  training  or  receive  regular  schooling, 
so  ill  adapted  to  their  needs.  Here  is  a  field  almost  un- 
touched in  Jewish  philanthropic  effort. 

D.  Hospitals 

I^Jn  quite  a  number  of  cities  we  find  special  Jewish 
hospitals,  which,  as  a  rule,  are  supported  by  Jewish 


146  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

funds,  but  which  do  not  Hmit  their  clientele  to  Jewish 
patients  exclusively.  The  first  hospital  of  this  kind  was 
established  in  Cincinnati  in  1845.  The  original  reason 
for  the  estabhshment  of  these  hospitals  is  to  be  found 
in  the  lack  of  general  facilities  for  the  treatment  of  the 
sick  of  the  community.  In  places  where  the  existing 
hospitals  were  under  the  auspices  of  strictly  sectarian 
groups,  the  need  for  special  hospitals  was  self-evident. 
In  some  instances,  the  Jewish  physicians  initiated  the 
movement,  frequently  because  of  their  inability  to 
attach  themselves  to  any  of  the  existing  agencies. 
Lately,  we  find  also,  an  endeavor  to  establish  new 
"■  hospitals  on  the  plea  that  the  patients  require  kosher 
food,  not  to  be  found  even  in  the  hospitals  bearing  the 
name  Jewish.  This  has  been  the  case  in  Chicago,  New 
York,  and  other  cities.  The  growth  of  efficient  munic- 
ipal institutions  should  diminish  the  necessity  for 
specifically  Jewish  hospitals.  The  Jewish  hospital,  as  a 
rule,  besides  receiving  charity  cases,  has  also  accommo- 
dations for  the  care  of  private  cases,  from  which  it  re- 
ceives an  income  paying  the  larger  part  of  its  expenses. 
The  arrangements  by  which  the  well  to  do  and  the 
indigent  are  cared  for  by  the  same  institution  are  often 
responsible  for  the  sentiment  that  the  poor  are  not 
treated  with  the  same  consideration  as  those  that  are 
in  a  position  to  pay  for  their  services.  In  quite  a  num- 
ber of  hospitals,  schools  for  nurses  have  been  estab- 
lished, but  it  is  only  recently  that  Jewish  girls  have 
entered  this  profession.  The  relations  of  the  relief 
agency  to  the  hospital  are  quite  varied.    In  some  in- 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  147 

stances  the  hospitals  make  their  own  investigations  as 
to  the  financial  position  of  their  applicants.  In  others, 
the  investigations  are  made  by  the  relief  agencies,  and 
no  free  patients  are  accepted  unless  under  recommenda- 
tion of  the  relief  society,  and  again,  in  a  few  cities,  as 
Louisville,  the  hospital  is  a  part  and  parcel  of  the 
Federation.  The  management  of  Jewish  hospitals  in 
general  is  quite  modern,  and  the  achievements  of  Dr. 
Goldwater  of  New  York  in  Mount  Sinai  have  been 
taken  as  a  model  in  hospital  management.  While,  as  a 
rule,  there  seems  to  be  no  difficulty  in  getting  funds  for 
the  establishment  of  hospitals,  in  many  instances  the 
maintenance  is  quite  a  great  burden  on  the  community, 
as  in  Chicago,  where  the  community  was  obhged  to  dis- 
continue the  orthodox  Jewish  hospital  in  191 5.  Men- 
tion should  be  made  of  the  new  National  Hospital  for 
Rheumatism  and  Blood  Diseases,  established  in  Hot 
Springs,  Arkansas,  by  the  B'nai  B'rith  and  known  as  the 
Leo  N.  Levi  Memorial  Hospital. 

The  most  recent  development  in  Jewish  hospitals,  as 
well  as  in  hospitals  in  general,  is  the  organization  of 
social  service  departments.  This  has  been  especially 
necessary  when  a  hospital  lacked  connections  with  a 
relief  society.  The  initiative  in  this  particular  service 
has  been  taken  by  the  Free  Synagogue  in  New  York, 
which  has  organized  Jewish  hospital  social  service  de- 
partments in  connection  with  Bellevue  Hospital,  and 
which  has  extended  its  scope  to  other  hospitals  in  New 
York  City.  This  is  at  present  an  important  part  of  the 
social  service  work  of  other  cities. 


148  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

E.  Tuberculosis 

One  of  the  most  frequent  diseases  among  the  poor, 
producing  continuous  dependency,  is  tuberculosis.  In 
1906,  Dr.  Theodore  Sachs  of  Chicago,  estimated  that 
there  were  from  four  to  five  hundred  thousand  tuber- 
cular individuals  in  the  United  States,  and  that  in 
Chicago  alone  there  were  not  less  than  twenty  thousand 
active  cases  of  consumption. 

To  a  certain  extent,  it  is  known  that  the  Jews  are  not 
so  frequently  apt  to  get  tuberculosis  as  their  neighbors. 
The  reasons  are:  the  limited  use  of  alcohol,  home  life, 
good  food,  regularity  of  habits,  and  so  forth.  Still,  the 
White  Plague  is  a  problem  with  the  Jews  as  well  as  with 
non-Jews,  and  while  there  is  nothing  specific  in  the 
disease  to  make  it  particularly  Jewish,  it  requires 
serious  consideration.  With  the  general  inadequacy  of 
treatment  of  tuberculosis,  the  specific  efforts  of  the 
Jews  in  this  respect,  even  in  their  limited  sphere,  are 
quite  important.  The  appalling  condition  of  the  growth 
of  tuberculosis  among  the  Jews  was  first  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  public  in  1899,  when  a  large 
number  of  the  victims  of  the  White  Plague  found  their 
way  to  Denver,  Colorado,  where  the  climate  was  sup- 
posed to  have  a  curative  effect.  Then  the  National 
Hospital  for  Consumptives  in  Denver  was  established, 
which  was  the  first  institution  to  start  the  procession  for 
the  elimination  of  tuberculosis  among  the  Jews  of  this 
country.  In  1904,  another  national  institution  for  the 
treatment  of  Jewish  consumptives  was  established  in 
Denver,  the  Jewish  Consumptives  Relief  Society.    This 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  149 

institution  belongs  to  a  new  type,  supported  and  ini- 
tiated by  the  Orthodox  group.  In  the  beginning,  it  was 
intended  primarily  for  the  advanced  cases,  in  opposition 
to  the  work  of  the  National  Hospital  for  Consumptives, 
which  treated  incipient  cases  only.  The  unhealthy 
spirit  of  rivalry  and  competition  compelled  both  in- 
stitutions to  deviate  from  their  original  restricted  ac- 
tivities, and  at  present,  we  find  patients  in  all  stages 
of  tuberculosis  housed  in  both  institutions.  Another 
sanitarium  has  been  established  recently  in  Los 
Angeles. 

Yet  with  all  these  institutions,  located  in  favorable 
climates,  the  facilities  are  exceedingly  limited,  and  the 
growing  contention  that  consumptives  can  be  cured 
without  change  of  climate  has  resulted  in  the  establish- 
ment of  sanitaria  in  different  localities,  as  in  New  York, 
Chicago,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  other  cities. 
Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  Workingmen's 
Circle  Sanitarium,  located  at  Liberty,  New  York.^ 
This  sanitarium  is  supported  by  the  organization,  which 
is  essentially  a  mutual  aid  society.  It  is  thus  free  from 
the  stamp  of  charity,  and  presents  an  interesting  ex- 
periment of  what  workingmen  have  achieved  by  in- 
telligent co-operation.  All  in  all,  however,  the  capacity 
of  all  the  Jewish  institutions  for  the  treatment  of  tuber- 
culosis hardly  exceeds  one  thousand,  and  can  relieve 
only  an  exceedingly  small  proportion  of  the  number  who 
need  sanitarium  treatment.  It  is  no  wonder,  therefore, 
that  while  all  these  institutions  are  very  much  over- 
1  Strunsky  Survey,  1915. 


I50  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

crowded,  the  Jews  also  utilize,  to  a  large  extent,  the 
state  and  municipal  institutions,  which  are  steadily 
increasing  in  their  efficiency  and  in  their  accommoda- 
tions. 

Outside  of  the  dietary  laws,  which  by  the  way  are 
observed  only  in  very  few  Jewish  institutions,  the  state 
and  municipal  institutions  will  eventually  make  it 
unnecessary  to  maintain  specific  Jewish  sanitaria. 
This  can  be  noted  in  the  change  that  has  already  taken 
place,  where  the  general  facilities  are  making  progress. 
Thus,  in  Ohio,  wdth  the  establishment  of  a  State  Tuber- 
cular Sanitarium,  a  number  of  Jewish  patients  were 
sent  from  Cleveland  and  Cincinnati,  cities  that  had 
formerly  used  the  Denver  Hospital  for  this  purpose. 

I.  Home  Treatment 

Though  sanitarium  treatment  is  indispensable, 
though  the  results  of  treatment  in  incipient  cases  are 
gratifying,  and  though  the  importance  of  isolation  of 
advanced  cases,  if  nothing  else,  is  of  great  value,  still,  we 
are  beginning  to  realize  that  sanitarium  treatment  plays 
only  a  minor  part  in  the  cure  of  the  tubercular  patient. 
Tuberculosis,  affecting  the  breadwinner  spells  misery 
and  dependence  of  the  entire  family.  Unless  the  latter 
is  adequately  provided  for,  the  patient  is  exposed  to 
worry  and  anxiety  which  interfere  with  the  successful 
process  of  recovery.  Quite  frequently,  the  patient 
neglects  the  cure,  prematurely  leaves  the  sanitarium 
compelled  to  look  for  work,  while  he  ought  to  be  treated 
for  the  disease.     The  municipalities  provide  institu- 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  151 

tions  for  the  treatment  of  consumption,  but  they  are 
not  taking  care  of  the  famihes  of  consumptives;  this  is 
the  sphere  that  the  private  agency  can  enter  with- 
out fear  of  dupHcation.  In  the  case  of  the  Jews, 
considerable  has  been  done  in  this  direction.  Provision 
is  made  in  almost  every  city  for  the  care  of  the  family 
while  the  breadwinner  is  undergoing  the  cure  at  the 
sanitarium.  In  quite  a  number  of  instances,  the  sani- 
tarium treatment  is  unattainable,  either  because  the 
patient  is  not  willing  to  enter  and  go  through  a  con- 
tinuous stay,  or  because,  for  some  reason  or  other, 
the  removal  of  the  patient  from  his  family  is  difficult. 
In  such  instances  home  treatment  is  necessary.  Some 
cities  have  endeavored  to  remove  the  families  of  tuber- 
cular patients  to  the  suburbs,  and  by  strict  supervision 
and  ample  relief  maintain  the  necessary  isolation  and 
standard.  An  interesting  experiment  in  this  direction 
was  made  in  Cincinnati  in  19 10,  where  a  few  families 
were  removed  to  a  hill  suburb  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  local  tubercular  sanitarium.  This  particular  suburb 
had  had  previously,  few  Jewish  inhabitants,  but  since 
then  it  has  become  quite  populous,  and  at  present 
harbors  a  large  Jewish  community,  composed  mainly 
of  families  that  moved  there  on  account  of  their  health. 

2.  After-Care  of  Consumptives 

An  investigation  into  the  subsequent  histories  of 
about  one  thousand  cases  discharged  from  tubercular 
sanitaria,  made  by  the  Council  of  Jewish  Women, 
emphasizes  another  phase  of  the  problem.     Though 


152  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  patient  leaving  the  sanitarium  may  be  benefited  by 
the  treatment,  and  discharged  as  either  cured  or  im- 
proved (in  this  investigation  only  20  per  cent  showed 
that  they  were  progressing  or  unimproved  when  dis- 
charged) it  is  only  a  matter  of  a  short  time,  after  his 
return  to  the  unfavorable  conditions  and  after  he  has 
to  meet  the  full  burden  of  the  struggle  for  existence, 
before  he  relapses  and  the  entire  effect  of  the  sani- 
tarium treatment  is  nullified.^ 

3.  The  Cincinnati  Method 

The  United  Jewish  Charities  of  Cincinnati  recognized 
the  importance  of  the  after-care  of  tubercular  patients 
as  early  as  1902,  and  since  then  ample  provision  has 
been  made,  not  only  for  the  treatment  of  the  patients, 
but  also  for  their  rehabilitation  to  such  surroundings 
that  their  health  might  receive  proper  care.  Thus, 
for  some  time,  the  United  Jewish  Charities  sent  all 
cases  of  incipient  tuberculosis  to  the  National  Hospital 
for  Tuberculosis  at  Denver,  and  provided  adequate 
relief  for  their  families  while  the  patients  were  in  the 
sanitarium.  When  the  patients  were  ready  to  be  dis- 
charged, the  families  were  sent  to  Denver  to  join  them, 
and  were  established  in  Denver.  The  United  Jewish 
Charities  supplied  the  funds  necessary  for  the  re- 
habilitation of  the  families  and  in  the  majority  of 
instances  placed  the  former  patient  in  an  occupation; 

1  "The  Subsequent  History  of  Patients  discharged  from  Tubercular 
Sanitaria."  Department  of  Health,  New  York.  Monograph  Series, 
No.  8,  1913. 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  153 

e.  g.,  peddling,  storekeeping,  etc.,  that  the  patient 
was  capable  of  pursuing.  Under  no  condition  were  the 
patients  allowed  to  leave  Colorado  after  they  were 
discharged  from  the  sanitarium.  This  was  known 
among  charity  workers  as  the  "Cincinnati  Method." 
Though  expensive,  as  far  as  the  initial  outlay  was 
concerned,  the  results  were  quite  gratifying.  But  the 
continuous  responsibility  that  the  United  Jewish  Chari- 
ties of  Cincinnati  assumed  proved  to  be  an  unreason- 
able arrangement,  which  prevented  the  continuance 
of  this  policy. 

The  return  of  patients  from  Denver  to  the  place 
where  the  disease  originated  proved  to  be  detrimental, 
as  the  majority  of  them,  acclimated  to  higher  alti- 
tudes, easily  relapsed  under  the  unfavorable  condi- 
tions. This  has  been  the  experience  of  other  cities, 
and  at  present  the  treatment  of  tubercular  patients 
in  the  Colorado  climate  is  used  only  in  individual  cases, 
while  the  majority  are  availing  themselves  of  the 
growing  facilities  of  local  institutions.  It  has  been 
demonstrated  beyond  the  possibility  of  doubt  that  as 
far  as  sanitarium  treatment  is  concerned,  the  local 
sanitaria  are  capable  of  producing  similar  results  to 
those  obtained  from  the  treatment  in  the  sanitaria 
situated  in  the  specially  favorable  climatic  locations. 
However,  the  main  problem,  as  was  demonstrated 
by  the  study  of  the  Council  of  Jewish  Women  in  New 
York  and  corroborated  by  similar  studies  in  Baltimore 
and  other  cities,  is  in  regard  to  the  treatment  of  patients 
after  their  discharge  from  the  sanitarium. 


154  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Patients  whose  after-care  is  neglected,  invariably 
relapse  and  succumb  to  the  disease.  The  possibilities 
of  efficient  after-care  treatments  are  demonstrated  by 
the  experience  of  the  United  Jewish  Charities  of  Cin- 
cinnati. In  a  strictly  scientific  study  of  seventy-one 
cases  of  tuberculosis  that  were  treated  in  this  city 
and  followed  up  for  a  period  of  not  less  than  five  years, 
we  find  that  25  were  entirely  cured,  in  18  the  disease 
was  arrested,  3  were  improved,  i  advanced,  and  24 
died.  In  other  words,  33.8  per  cent  died.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  the  cost  of  this  treatment  was  $38,963, 
or  $549  per  patient.^ 

Realization  of  the  gravity  of  the  tuberculosis  situa- 
tion in  New  York  City  was  the  cause  of  the  organization 
of  the  Joint  Tuberculosis  Committee  representing  the 
Free  Synagogue,  the  Montefiore  Home  and  the  United 
Hebrew  Charities  of  that  city.  The  careful  investiga- 
tion made  by  the  Committee  of  459  cases  discharged 
from  the  Bedford  Sanitarium  shows  that  55  per  cent  suf- 
fered a  relapse  within  a  short  time  after  their  discharge. 
Of  the  families  cared  for  by  the  Joint  Tuberculosis 
Committee,  only  8  per  cent  relapsed.  Thus  the  value 
of  the  work  of  the  Joint  Committee  is  emphasized:  It 
is  producing  good  results. 

It  is  interesting,  however,  to  mention  a  study  of  the 
physical  and  home  conditions  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-one  families,  in  which  one  or  both  of  the 
parents  were  suffering  with  tuberculosis.  This  study 
showed  that  56  children,  out  of  692,  were  suffering 

^  United  Jewish  Charities  of  Cincinnati,  Annual  Report,  1914. 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  155 

with  the  disease,  and  that  105  showed  signs  which 
placed  them  in  the  category  of  suspects.  This  condi- 
tion is  easily  explained  when  we  learn  from  the  same 
investigation  that  of  274  active  consumptives,  there 
were  found  in  these  270  families  only  112  that  had  sepa- 
rate rooms. 

While  in  this  country,  the  Jews  have  made  con- 
siderable effort  to  cope  with  the  tuberculosis  situation, 
still,  there  is  a  considerable  field  which  is  barely  cov- 
ered, that  must  receive  serious  consideration.  There 
is  no  need  to  establish  specifically  Jewish  sanitaria, 
but  there  is  a  need  for  more  intensive  and  continuous 
effort  in  after-care  of  the  tubercular  patients,  for  which 
neither  state  nor  city  is  as  yet  adequately  provided, 
and  which  the  private  agencies  must  bear  as  their 
legitimate  burden.  The  sooner  the  Jews  realize  that 
sanitarium  and  medical  treatment  of  tuberculosis  repre- 
sent a  minor  part  of  the  problem,  the  easier  it  will 
become  to  appeal  to  the  pubhc  for  the  funds  neces- 
sary to  combat  the  dreadful  ravages  of  the  White 
Plague,  and  in  this,  as  in  other  fields,  the  Jews  can 
well  afford  to  be  the  pioneers. 

F.  Insanity 

Another  problem  that  is  attracting  considerable  at- 
tention in  the  field  of  Jewish  philanthropy  is  that  of 
insanity.  The  idea  is  prevalent  that  the  immigrants 
in  general  contribute  more  than  their  proportion  to 
the  population  of  our  insane  asylums.  It  is  interesting 
to  mention  that  Mr.  M.  D.  Waldman  made  a  study  of 


156  JEWISH  PHILAKTHROPY 

statistical  data  presented  by  the  New  York  State 
Hospital  Commission  in  191 2  and  came  to  the  follow- 
ing conclusions:  i.  The  increase  in  the  number  of  in- 
sane in  the  state  institutions  is  no  greater  than  the 
increase  of  the  population.  2.  That  the  proportion  of 
foreign  bom  insane  in  state  hospitals  is  little,  if  any, 
higher  than  the  native  bom. 

Nevertheless,  there  are  quite  a  large  number  of 
famihes  dependent  on  account  of  insanity  of  the  bread- 
winner. As  far  as  custodial  care  is  concerned,  the  Jews 
are  utilizing  the  state  and  municipal  institutions,  but 
recently  efforts  have  been  made  to  provide  ample  care 
for  this  particular  class  of  dependents,  and  also  to  do 
preventive  work  as  far  as  possible.  The  initiative 
in  this  work  belongs  to  the  Bureau  of  Personal  Service 
in  Chicago.  Similar  work  is  also  done  in  New  York 
through  the  Free  Synagogue  Mental  Hygiene  Depart- 
ment, and  also  in  Baltimore,  in  connection  with  the 
Federation.  While  no  definite  methods  have  been 
devised  in  preventing  and  curing  insanity,  field  nurses, 
ample  relief,  and  careful  consideration  of  each  and 
every  case,  are  means  for  the  desired  end.  Much  is 
done  in  the  after  treatment  of  patients  discharged  from 
the  hospitals,  for  if  the  conditions  to  which  they  return 
are  unfavorable,  their  relapse  is  unavoidable.  Here  is 
where  social  service  counts. 

G.  Convalescents 

In  the  treatment  of  the  sick,  the  work  of  the  Con- 
valescent  Home    deserves   consideration.      The   first 


RESIDENT-DEPENDENTS  157 

Jewish  convalescent  home  was  established  in  New  York 
in  1906,  and  is  known  as  the  Loeb  Memorial  Con- 
valescent Home,  but  at  present  other  cities  have  also 
organized  institutions  for  the  care  of  the  convalescents. 

H.  Chronic  Invalids 

The  Montefiore  Home  for  Chronic  InvaHds  and 
Country  Sanitarium  for  Consumptives,  organized  in 
New  York  in  1884,  is  the  foremost  institution  of  its 
kind  in  the  United  States.  It  has  a  capacity  of  over 
one  thousand.  The  Touro  Infirmary  in  New  Orleans 
and  other  institutions  in  different  cities  accommodate  a 
limited  number  of  chronic  patients.  On  the  whole, 
however,  the  facilities  are  not  sufficient,  and  in  a  large 
number  of  cases,  municipal  institutions  are  utilized. 
Sectarian  private  institutions  also  care  for  a  limited 
number  of  Jewish  patients. 

Chapter  Ten.    The  Sick 
Questions 

1.  What  are  the  reasons  for  specifically  Jewish  medical  aid 
agencies? 

2.  Discuss  the  advantages  and  disadvantages  of  free  medical 
help. 

3.  State  the  need  of  home  treatment. 

4.  Discuss  Jewish  infant  welfare  work. 

5.  What  are  the  functions  of  school  hygiene  agencies? 

6.  Describe  the  different  classes  of  defectives,  and  Jewish 
agencies  dealing  with  them. 

7.  What  is  the  origin  of  Jewish  hospitals? 

8.  What  is  the  probable  extent  of  tuberculosis  among  Jews 
in  the  United  States? 


158  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

9.  What  are  the  Jewish  National  Institutions  for  the  care  of 
consumptives? 

10.  Discuss  home  and  sanitarium  treatment  of  consumptives. 

11.  Describe  the  Cincinnati  Method. 

12.  State  the  importance  of  the  after-care  of  consumptives, 
and  the  work  of  the  Joint  Tuberculosis  Committee  in  New 
York. 

13.  Discuss  insanity  as  a  problem  in  Jewish  philanthropy. 

14.  What  are  the  Jewish  institutions  for  convalescents  and 
chronic  invalids? 


XI 
DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN 

Dependency  of  women  and  children,  caused  by  the 
death  of  the  head  of  the  family,  has  been  taken  to  be, 
hitherto,  a  natura  phenomenon  and  the  care  of  widows 
and  children  considered  the  foremost  duty  of  charitable 
endeavor.  It  is  only  recently  that  society  is  beginning 
to  realize  the  abnormality  of  the  situation  and  is  ready 
to  acknowledge  that  in  the  majority  of  cases  the  de- 
pendency is  caused  by  the  premature  death  of  the 
breadwinner  from  preventable  causes.  Thus,  in  the 
investigation  of  a  limited  number  of  widows  receiving 
State  pensions  in  Cincinnati,  it  has  been  demonstrated 
that  the  age  of  the  deceased  parent  averaged  thirty- 
eight  years,  and  that  the  principal  causes  to  which 
deaths  have  been  ascribed  are  tuberculosis,  cancer,  and 
industrial  accidents.^ 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  problem  of  the 
orphans  and  widows  could  be  very  materially  lessened 
if  more  attention  were  paid  to  guarding  against  condi- 
tions that  are  responsible  for  premature  death.  As  it  is, 
however,  the  widows  and  orphans  have  to  be  provided 
for,  and  the  question  is  merely  that  of  method,  rather 
than  that  of  principle. 

'  Maurice  Hexter,  "The  Survey,"  December  12,  1914. 
IS9 


l6o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

A.  Congregate  Systems 

The  institutional  care  of  orphans  received  the  appro- 
bation of  the  Jews  as  early  as  1832,  when  the  Hebrew 
Benevolent  and  Orphan  Asylums  were  established  in 
New  York  City.  In  1855  the  New  Orleans  Jewish 
Orphans'  Home  was  established.  The  Hebrew  Shelter- 
ing and  Guardian  Society  in  New  York  was  founded  in 
1879.  There  are  similar  institutions  in  different  parts 
of  the  country,  notably,  Philadelphia,  Cleveland, 
Brooklyn,  Milwaukee,  and  others,  with  an  approximate 
capacity  of  about  six  thousand.^ 

B.  The  Placing-Out  System 

While  the  results  of  the  institutional  treatment  were 
satisfactory,  still  the  general  antagonistic  attitude 
against  congregate  systems  of  cliild  caring  has  also 
spread  among  the  Jews.  An  institution  necessarily 
lacks  home  atmosphere, — the  most  important  adjunct 
in  child  life, — it  neglects  individuality  and  is  detri- 
mental to  the  free  development  of  character.  At  the 
Second  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities  in 
Detroit,  Dr.  Lee  Frankel  raised  the  question  of  the 
possibility  of  introducing  another  method,  namely  of 
adopting  and  placing-out.  The  attempt  to  utilize  the 
facilities  of  the  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith  for 
finding  suitable  private  homes  for  dependent  children 
was  not  successful,  but  a  joint  committee  on  dependent 
children  was  formed  in  New  York  in  1904.     And  in 

1  Lee  K.  Frankel,  "Placing  out  of  Jewish  Children."  Third  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities,  1904. 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  i6i 

conjunction  with  the  Department  of  Charities  of  that 
city,  a  special  agent  was  engaged,  who  was  to  look  for 
available  homes.  The  results  were  quite  encouraging. 
Without  any  special  difficulty,  a  number  of  families 
made  application  for  children;  three-fourths  of  them 
expected  to  be  paid,  while  one-fourth  offered  free  homes. 
Only  a  few  of  the  latter  were  found  to  be  unsatisfactory, 
while  of  the  former,  half  were  rejected. 

Thus,  one  objection,  namely,  that  homes  could  not  be 
procured,  was  removed.  But,  granting  that  there  is  a 
possibility  of  finding  private  homes  for  the  dependent 
children,  thus  making  it  unnecessary  to  place  them  in 
institutions,  the  question  still  remained  as  to  the  com- 
parative advantages  of  the  two  systems,  namely,  the 
congregate  and  the  placing-out  methods.  Dr.  Lee 
Frankel  maintained  that  while  in  some  instances  insti- 
tutional care  of  children  is  necessary,  for  instance  when 
both  parents  are  living  or  in  the  case  of  semi-orphans, 
he  thought  that  in  the  case  of  full  orphans  the  place- 
ment system  is  more  advisable.  In  this  connection  the 
study  of  Dr.  Loewenstein  in  1906  is  of  interest.^  It 
shows  that  of  three  thousand,  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
two  children  in  institutions,  there  were  only  one  hun- 
dred and  three,  or  thirty-seven  per  cent  full  orphans. 
The  most  enthusiastic  adherent  of  the  placing-out 
system,  and  the  arch  enemy  of  the  congregate  system  is 
Dr.  Ludwig  Bernstein,  Superintendent  of  the  Hebrew 
Sheltering  and  Guardian  Orphan  asylum,  who  is  an 

1  "Institutions  for  Children,"  Solomon  Loewenstein.  Proceedings 
National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,  Philadelphia,  1906. 


i62  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

authority  on  child-caring  work.  Dr.  Bernstein  pre- 
sented a  very  interesting  report  of  results  in  placing-out 
achieved  by  the  joint  committee  in  1906,  when  the 
number  of  children  handled  in  this  way  reached  three 
hundred  and  thirty-three.  It  was  quite  natural  that 
his  statements  awakened  considerable  opposition  from 
the  adherents  of  the  old  institutional  system.  Dr.  S. 
Wolfenstein,  Superintendent  of  the  Cleveland  Orphan 
Asylum,  led  the  opposition.  Dr.  Wolfenstein  had  been 
Superintendent  of  the  Cleveland  Orphan  Asylum  for 
over  thirty-five  years.  He  devoted  his  life  to  the  up- 
building of  this  institution.  He  could  speak  as  an 
authority  on  child  caring,  for  he  had  cared  personally 
for  thousands  of  them,  and  he  certainly  knew  his 
children.  He  kept  a  definite  card  record  of  every  child 
that  he  had  had  under  his  care,  and  presented,  in  1910,  a 
statement  of  the  results  obtained.^  This  record  covers 
one  thousand,  five  hundred  and  thirty-four  graduates. 
The  average  stay  in  the  institution  was  between  seven 
and  eight  years.  Six  hundred  and  thirty-nine  girls 
present  the  following  status: 

Married  and  living  in  their  own  homes 209 

Salesladies  and  clerks 93 

Stenographers,  bookkeepers  and  cashiers 84 

Housekeepers,  mostly  in  families  of  their  own  folks 58 

Milliners 35 

Dressmakers 31 

Trained  nurses 31 

1  Proceedings  of  the  Annual  Conference  of  the  Education  of  Back- 
ward, Truant,  Delinquent,  and  Dependent  Children,  1910,  St.  Louis. 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  163 

Living  in  families  with  a  view  to  becoming  nurses 18 

Continuing  studies  for  professions 18 

Teachers 18 

Matrons  and  assistant  matrons 3 

On  the  stage i 

Chronically  sick  and  insane 8 

Bad  records 8 

Died 24 

Total 639 

Of  the  boys:  out  of  895,  there  were 

In  commercial  pursuits 410 

Pursuing  trades 183 

Stenographers  and  bookkeepers 140 

In  professions 35 

Continuing  studies  for  professions 30 

In  United  States  Service,  Army,  Navy,  and  P.  O 29 

On  the  stage 6 

Chronically  sick,  and  insane 4 

Bad  records 14 

Died 44 

Total 29s 

The  placing-out  and  adoption  system  has  been  es- 
pecially favorably  received  in  Chicago,  where,  through 
the  enthusiastic  and  generous  support  of  Mr.  Julius 
Rosenwald,  and  the  co-operation  of  Miss  Minnie  Low 
of  the  Bureau  of  Personal  Service,  a  special  society 
was  organized,  known  as  the  Home  Finding  Society 
of  Chicago.  This  organization,  besides  supporting 
widows  with  dependent  children,  is  finding  homes  for 
children  for  adoption.  In  191 5,  this  organization  cared 
for  one  hundred  ninety-two  widows  with  five  hundred 
and    seventy-six    children,   besides  placing   out   one 


i64  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

hundred  eighty  children  in  boarding  homes,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  causing  the  adoption  of  eight  children. 

C.  The  Cottage  System 

The  Hebrew  Sheltering  Guardian  Society  has  re- 
moved its  institution  from  the  city  of  New  York  to 
Pleasantville,  and  is  at  present  presenting  the  most 
advanced  methods  of  child-caring  agencies  among 
the  Jews.  This  institution  is  situated  among  the 
beautiful  rolling  hills  of  Westchester  county,  and 
occupies  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres,  upon  which 
are  numerous  buildings.  The  children  are  housed  in 
separate  cottages,  each  accommodating  about  thirty 
children.  The  society  maintains  its  own  school  along 
the  most  modem  h'nes,  including  manual  training  and 
domestic  science  courses.  Each  cottage  maintains 
its  own  household,  and  the  children  perform  all  the 
household  duties,  under  the  management  and  super- 
vision of  the  cottage  matron.  The  curriculum  of  the 
school,  the  routine  of  the  management,  the  religious  and 
moral  training,  are  models  of  their  kind.  All  in  all 
they  have  about  six  hundred  children  in  the  institution, 
but  besides  this,  over  three  hundred  are  boarded  out  by 
the  institution  in  private  homes,  under  the  careful  su- 
pervision of  a  special  staff.  A  special  department  for 
the  after-care  of  graduates  is  worth  while  mentioning. 

D.  Self-Government 

The  other  large  orphanages  in  New  York,  while  still 
retaining  the  same  quarters,  have  changed  considerably 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  165 

in  the  method  of  training  children,  introducing  club 
activities  and  self-government.  These  innovations, 
to  a  larger  or  smaller  degree,  are  taking  place  in  almost 
all  the  other  Jewish  orphan  asylums  in  the  country. 
The  initiative  in  this  respect  should  be  ascribed  to  the 
efforts  of  Mr.  Chester  Teller,  who  in  19 10  established 
a  system  in  the  New  Orleans  Orphan  Asylum  known 
as  the  Golden  City,  which  was  enthusiastically  re- 
ceived and  was  popularized  among  the  Jewish  social 
workers. 

E.  State  Subventions 

In  the  case  of  dependent  children,  the  Jewish  insti- 
tutions and  organizations  are  utilizing  in  many  in- 
stances the  subventions  granted  by  states  and  munic- 
ipalities for  this  purpose.  Thus,  in  New  York,  the 
orphan  asylums  receive  a  per  capita  subvention  for 
each  child  in  their  care,  and  again,  in  other  states,  the 
widows'  pension  acts  relieved  the  burden  on  Jewish 
communities  to  a  great  extent.  The  subvention  of 
widowed  mothers  is  not  a  new  phenomenon  in  Jewish 
charity.  In  many  cities  the  Jewish  relief  societies 
granted  regular  pensions  to  deserving  widows,  and  at 
present  the  state  pension  is  considerably  augmented 
by  the  allowances  of  the  Jewish  private  agencies. 

F.  Orthodox  Tendencies 

In  speaking  of  institutions  for  dependent  children, 
mention  should  be  made  of  a  comparatively  recent 
tendency  to  establish  orphan  asylums  on  a  strictly 


i66  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

orthodox  basis.  This  refers  to  the  Nathan  Marks 
Orphan  Asylum  in  Chicago,  where  the  children  are  hv- 
ing  under  a  strictly  orthodox  regime,  and  receive  a  large 
amount  of  religious  training.  This  tendency  is  also  re- 
sponsible for  the  introduction  in  many  orphan  asylums, 
not  conducted  in  accordance  with  the  strict  dietary 
laws,  of  kosher  kitchens.  The  two  great  child-caring 
institutions  of  New  York  introduced  kosher  dietary 
in  191 1.  It  meant  considerable  initial  outlay  and  an 
additional  annual  expense  of  not  less  than  six  to  seven 
thousand  dollars  a  year.  The  institutions  hoped, 
however,  that  this  innovation  might  gain  them  the 
financial  support  of  the  large  numbers  of  "extremely 
religious  members  of  the  community,"  who  were  non- 
subscribers  before. 

There  is,  however,  a  much  deeper  argument  for 
Kashruth  among  Jewish  child-caring  agencies.  "No 
child  comes  to  an  institution  free  from  the  influence  of 
its  surroundings.  It  has  already  imbibed  the  pre- 
dilections fostered  by  its  environment;  it  has  received  a 
spiritual  inheritance,  such  as  it  may  be.  The  tenacity 
of  these  youthful  impressions  is  expressed  in  the  formula 
that  the  first  seven  years  of  the  child's  life  fix  the  re- 
ligious coloring  of  its  mind  irrevocably.  But  there  is 
more  to  attach  the  child  to  the  cast  of  its  early  life. 
This  is  grooved  into  its  surroundings,  and  parental 
teaching  and  respect,  neighborhood  opinion,  friendly 
intercourse,  are  bound  up  in  the  rule  of  life  that  domi- 
nates the  little  world  in  which  they  all  have  their 
being.    Destroy  the  world,  and  he  becomes  a  stranger 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  167 

to  his  own  blood,  incapable  of  old  friendship,  impervious 
to  old  discipline."  ^ 

G.  Child-Caring  Methods 

Opinions  as  to  the  best  child-caring  methods  are 
quite  at  variance.  A  working  set  of  rules  prepared  by 
Dr.  Bernstein  ^  is  quite  suggestive.  These  rules  are  as 
follows : 

1.  If  the  home  of  the  child  be  a  good  one,  and  can  be  kept  to- 
gether adequately,  it  should  not  be  broken  up  on  the  death  of 
the  breadwinner. 

2.  The  home,  on  the  other  hand,  if  lacking  in  good  influences, 
should  not  be  kept  together  on  a  mere  pittance,  merely  for  the 
sake  of  so  doing. 

3.  A  child  should  always  be  taken  out  of  a  consumptive's 
home. 

4.  As  infant  mortality  in  the  very  best  institutions  is  high, 
under  no  circumstances  should  infants  be  placed  in  an  institution. 

5.  A  total  orphan  should  be  kept  out  of  institutions  whenever 
possible  and  placed  in  a  carefully  chosen  home. 

6.  To  avoid  human  tragedies  a  child,  though  legally  adopted, 
should  be  kept  in  touch  with  till  its  majority. 

7.  Children  of  ten  or  twelve  years  and  over  are  usually  phys- 
ically better  off  in  institutions. 

8.  The  child-placing  man  who  boasts  only  of  the  success  of 
his  cases  is  a  man  well  worth  avoiding.  It  is  impossible  to  de- 
tect his  failures  which  must  exist. 

9.  If  it  be  impossible  to  place  children  under  seven  or  eight 
years  in  cottage  homes,  it  is  better  to  place  them  with  private 

1  L.  H.  Levin,  "The  Question  of  Kashruth,"  "Jewish  Charities," 
1911,  Vol.  II,  No.  2. 

^  "A  Child-Caring  Primer,"  Ludwig  B.  Bernstein,  "  Jewish 
Charities,"  Vol.  II,  No.  3,  page  7. 


1 68  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

families  properly  supervised,  than  in  congregate  institutions 
where  discipline  is  too  rigid  for  a  young  child. 

lo.  A  child  of  ten  or  eleven  years  who  has  outgrown  the  moral 
and  mental  influence  of  its  boarding  mother  should  be  allowed 
to  leave.  Unmanageable  children  are  often  merely  evincing  a 
healthy  desire  of  entering  into  healthy  competition  in  work  and 
play  with  others  of  their  age. 

So  much  for  the  vital  question  of  what  to  do  with 
the  child  that  becomes  "dependent."  And  now,  what 
are  the  salient  points  in  the  training  of  these  children, 
after  we  have  determined  upon  the  course  to  be  pur- 
sued with  them,  whether  it  be  on  the  family  home  or 
on  the  institution  plan? 

1.  Dependent  children,  whether  in  an  institution  or  private 
home  should  have  frequent  physical  examinations  and  the 
results  carefully  recorded  and  compared  with  previous  records. 

2.  The  eyes  and  teeth  of  the  children  should  be  examined  and 
attended  to  periodically. 

3.  The  education  of  a  child  should  not  cease  at  fourteen,  but 
should  be  continued  long  enough  to  allow  the  child  to  develop 
its  latent  abilities  to  the  fullest  degree. 

4.  The  education  which  the  child  receives  in  public  school  is 
insufficient  and  should  be  supplemented  by  higher  educational 
work.  An  institutional  school  could  be  easily  devised  combining 
both  elementary  and  high  school  work  in  from  eight  to  nine 
years  as  is  done  in  Europe. 

5.  Industrial  and  vocational  training  is  industrial  prepara- 
tion for  life  and  should  not  be  construed  to  mean  menial  labor. 

6.  The  child  should  be  given  a  substantial  religious  training, 
which,  to  be  of  lasting  value,  should  not  be  overemphasized. 

7.  Children  should  be  kept  in  contact  with  men  and  women 
of  education,  culture  and  character. 

8.  The  child  in  the  institution  should  be  allowed  freedom  and 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  169 

self-government.    Too  rigid  discipline  crushes  individuality  and 
kills  self-reliance  and  initiative. 

9.  The  child  should  have  plenty  of  recreation  and  spontane- 
ous play  in  the  company  of  children  of  his  own  age. 

10.  The  eflSciency  of  a  child  institution  varies  directly  as  the 
per  capita  cost, 

1 1 .  The  child  should  be  kept  in  touch  with  by  a  capable,  tactful 
and  devoted  worker  even  after  employment  has  been  found  for  it. 

H.  After-Care  of  Orphans 

It  stands  to  reason  that  the  work  with  dependent 
children  and  especially  with  orphans,  does  not  cease 
with  the  graduation  of  the  latter  from  the  institution. 
A  system  of  after-care  has  been  devised  by  the  dif- 
ferent orphan  asylums.  In  many  instances  Big  Brothers 
and  Big  Sisters  Organizations  are  formed.  The  latter 
come  in  contact  with  the  individual  child,  and  after 
his  graduation  endeavor  to  assist  him  in  finding  an 
occupation  and  adjusting  himself  to  the  new  environ- 
ment. The  after-care  of  the  Hebrew  Sheltering  and 
Guardian  Society  is  conducted  through  the  medium 
of  the  Fellowship  House,  which  has  somewhat  of 
the  character  of  a  settlement.  The  Fellowship  House 
was  organized  in  1913.  It  conducts  an  employment 
agency,  attends  to  the  social  needs  of  the  alumni,  holds 
Friday  evening  services,  maintains  classes  in  stenog- 
raphy, arranges  entertainments,  etc. 

I.  Day  Nurseries 

In  speaking  of  the  care  of  dependent  children,  men- 
tion should  be  made  of  the  functions  of  the  day  nur- 


I70  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

series.  Day  nurseries  are  primarily  designed  for  the 
day  care  of  children,  who  are  unable  to  receive  care 
from  their  mothers  out  at  work  during  the  day.  In 
New  York  and  other  large  cities,  we  find  day  nurseries 
either  as  separate  institutions  or  as  parts  of  other 
agencies,  such  as  settlements,  relief  societies,  and  so 
forth. 

The  fact  that  women  are  compelled  to  work  away 
from  home  and  delegate  the  care  of  their  children  to 
institutions  seems  to  be  rather  a  deplorable  situation. 
The  idea  has  been  advanced  that  the  very  existence 
of  day  nurseries  fosters  and  promotes  the  need  for 
them.  Women  who  could  get  along  without  earnings 
from  shops  and  factories  still  prefer  it  to  everyday 
home  duties.  In  some  instances  the  husbands  take 
advantage  of  the  situation  and  make  their  wives  work, 
thus  lessening  their  own  burden.  As  the  maintenance 
of  children  in  day  nurseries  is  quite  expensive,  it  is  a 
question  whether  a  subvention  to  the  mother  for  the 
necessary  income  would  not  be  a  better  arrangement. 
However  the  need  is  quite  urgent,  and  in  many  cases 
the  day  nurseries  prevent  considerable  want  and 
misery.  The  admission  of  children  to  day  nurseries 
requires  definite  and  careful  consideration.  The  Helen 
Day  Nursery,  a  constituent  society  of  the  Jewish  Chari- 
ties of  Chicago,  reports  in  191 5  that  the  predominant 
cause  of  application  is  desertion  and  insufiicient  in- 
come. In  some  cities  homes  for  the  temporary  care  of 
children  are  maintained.  They  usually  accommodate 
children  when  the  mother  is  getting  medical  attendance 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  171 

at  the  hospital,  or  when  the  family  is  temporarily 
disrupted.  Frequently  these  institutions  were  utilized 
as  temporary  abodes  for  children  that  were  eventually 
sent  to  permanent  institutions,  or  disposed  of  in  some 
other  way. 

J.  Family  Desertion 
I.  Family  Desertion  as  a  Problem 

Just  as  with  the  death  of  the  head  of  the  family,  the 
wife  and  children  become  dependent  upon  charity  as- 
sistance, so  it  also  happens  when  the  man  deserts  his 
family.  The  phenomenon  of  family  desertion  has  been 
of  quite  frequent  occurrence,  and  it  is  generally  believed 
in  charity  circles  that  it  is  on  the  increase.  There  are 
no  definite  figures  to  prove  this  assertion,  but  it  is 
certain  that  the  dependency  caused  by  wife  desertion 
is  receiving  greater  attention  than  in  former  years. 
It  is  estimated  that  in  New  York  City  there  are  eight 
thousand  abandoned  children,  toward  whose  main- 
tenance in  child-caring  institutions  the  city  is  paying 
approximately  one  million  dollars.  In  addition  to 
this,  the  institutions  are  required  in  many  cases  to 
supplement  the  allowances  granted  by  the  city  for  the 
children.  Moreover,  thousands  of  abandoned  children 
are  maintained  in  their  own  mothers'  homes  by  private 
relief  agencies. 

Among  the  Jews,  family  desertion  has  also  been  a 
matter  of  great  concern,  and  as  early  as  the  year  1900 
a  number  of  cities  took  up  the  problem  of  family  deser- 
tion as  one  of  the  most  perplexing  questions  of  modern 


172  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Jewish  charities.  The  giving  of  rehef  to  deserted 
women  and  their  children,  the  placing  of  these  children 
in  institutions,  the  utihzation  of  day  nurseries  for  this 
purpose,  were  the  usual  means  of  handling  this  prob- 
lem. Unfortunately,  this  meant  no  solution  to  the 
difficulty,  nor  did  it  lead  to  an  abatement  in  the  grow- 
ing number  of  wife  desertions,  until  the  time  came 
when  consideration  was  given  rather  to  measures  that 
would  prevent  family  desertion  than  the  mere  treat- 
ment of  the  results  of  the  lack  of  responsibility  of  the 
man  who  left  his  family  to  the  mercy  of  the  community. 

2.  Causes  of  Desertion 

Thus,  at  the  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities 
in  Chicago  in  1900,  a  Committee  on  Desertion  pre- 
sented a  report  in  which  was  outhned  the  status  of  the 
desertion  situation  at  that  time,  and  a  resume  of  the 
legislation  in  the  various  states  directed  toward  the 
punishment  of  desertion.  Some  general  suggestions 
were  also  made  tending  toward  the  eradication  of 
desertion.  Later,  attention  was  called  to  the  immediate 
causes  of  family  desertion.  A  study  of  actual  cases 
treated  by  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York 
City  in  1903,  made  by  Mr.  Morris  Waldman,  showed 
that  a  large  percentage  of  desertion  was  not  due,  as 
had  been  supposed,  to  lack  of  work  or  inability  to  earn  a 
living,  but  to  various  forms  of  immorahty.  A  similar 
study  of  the  general  situation  in  Boston  in  1901,  dis- 
closed the  fact  that  thirty-three  per  cent  were  due  to 
drunkenness.    Dr.  Lee  K.  Frankel  called  the  attention 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  173 

of  the  conference  in  1906,  to  the  fact  that  there  are  in 
addition  to  the  usual  reasons  for  desertion,  specific 
causes  that  apply  to  Jewish  desertion.^  Of  particular 
interest  should  be  mentioned  the  fact  that  owing  to  a 
forced  immigration  from  European  countries,  the  hus- 
bands frequently  come  to  the  United  States  in  advance 
of  their  families,  contract  new  ties  when  they  arrive 
here,  and  are  unwilling,  for  this  reason,  to  maintain 
responsibilities  originally  contracted  before  they  left 
their  native  places. 

3.  Promoting  Legislation 

The  Jews  were  very  active  in  promoting  legislation 
tending  to  punish  family  deserters.  In  many  states, 
there  were  no  laws  at  all  making  family  desertion  a 
crime,  and  in  some  it  was  considered  a  misdemeanor, 
under  which  extradition,  in  case  the  deserter  was 
located  in  another  state,  was  impossible.  Again,  there 
were  some  states  where  family  desertion  was  deemed  a 
felony,  despite  which  juries  would  often  show  con- 
siderable leniency,  defeating  the  purpose  of  the  act. 
Accordingly,  a  law  which  was  quite  novel  was  passed  in 
New  York  in  1905,  which  refers  to  the  abandonment  of 
children  and  which  in  part  reads  as  follows:  "A  parent 
or  other  person  charged  with  the  care,  or  custody,  for 
nurture  or  education  of  a  child  under  the  age  of  sixteen 
years,  who  abandons  the  child  in  destitute  circum- 
stances and  wilfully  omits  to  furnish  necessary  and 

»  "Desertion,"  Dr.  Lee  K.  Frankel.  Fourth  National  Conference 
of  Jewish  Charities,  1906. 


174  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

proper  food,  clothing,  and  shelter  for  such  a  child,  is 
guilty  of  felony,  punishable  by  a  fine  not  to  exceed 
one  thousand  dollars,  or  by  imprisonment  for  not  more 
than  two  years,  or  by  both." 

4.  Publicity  as  an  Aid 

Immediately  after  the  law  was  passed,  the  United 
Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York  City  determined  to 
make  a  very  active  campaign  for  the  prosecution  of 
deserters  under  the  new  law.  Pubucity  through  the 
daily  Jewish  press  was  utilized  both  for  location  of  the 
deserter  and  for  the  effect  that  such  a  method  would 
have  for  routing  desertion  that  was  contemplated.  The 
results  from  the  very  beginning  were  quite  encouraging, 
and  the  experience  of  New  York  and  other  cities  soon 
followed  the  more  or  less  sound  method — persistent 
prosecution  of  the  deserters — though  in  all  instances, 
the  main  object  was  to  reunite  the  families  wherever  it 
was  possible,  without  punishment  by  imprisonment  or 
fine.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  desertion  is 
not  an  evil  which  can  be  eradicated  by  legislation  alone. 

5.  Study  of  Desertion  in  New  York 

Quite  an  elaborate  paper  on  the  subject  of  family 
desertion  among  the  Jews  was  presented  by  Mr.  Morris 
D.  Waldman,  at  the  National  Conference  of  Jewish 
Charities  in  St.  Louis,  in  1910.  In  this  paper,  Mr. 
Waldman  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  family  deser- 
tion is  not  distinctly  a  Jewish  problem.  The  United 
Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York,  during  the  two  years 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  175 

ending  September  30,  1908,  had  desertion  in  11.66  per 
cent  of  all  its  cases.  Of  five  thousand  cases  of  the 
Charity  Organization  Society  of  that  city,  selected  at 
random,  12.12  per  cent  were  such  cases.  In  the  As- 
sociated Charities  of'  Buffalo,  desertion  cases  formed 
during  the  past  four  years,  from  ten  to  thirteen  per 
cent  of  the  total.  In  that  city,  desertion  among  the 
Jews  is  hardly  known. 

Mr.  Waldman,  however,  calls  attention  to  the  fact 
that  family  desertion  among  the  Jews  was  already 
known  in  the  middle  ages.  The  extent  of  family  deser- 
tion among  the  Jews  in  the  United  States  is  indicated 
by  the  following  figures.  In  1909,  seven  per  cent  of  the 
applicants  in  St.  Louis  were  deserted  women,  in  Balti- 
more sixteen  per  cent,  in  Chicago  eleven  per  cent,  in 
New  York  ten  per  cent.  The  number  of  children  of 
deserted  women  cared  for  by  child-caring  agencies  of 
New  York  probably  exceeds  600,  costing  annually  for 
their  maintenance  $70,000.  The  United  Hebrew  Chari- 
ties of  New  York  has  in  its  records  for  the  year  1909, 
1,046  deserted  women  as  against  1,655  widows. 

In  discussing  the  question  of  desertion,  Mr.  Waldman 
recognizing  the  complexity  of  the  problem,  succeeded  in 
1902  in  tabulating  244  cases  according  to  cause  in 
the  following  subdivisions.  Other  women,  65;  licen- 
tiousness, 10;  dissipation,  10;  gambling,  7;  drink,  6; 
woman's  immorality,  3 ;  laziness,  16 ;  marriage  for  money 
solely,  3;  incompatibility  of  temperament,  19;  interfer- 
ence of  relatives,  12;  roving  disposition,  3;  to  seek 
health,  9;  man's  insanity,  4;  woman's  insanity,   i; 


176  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

woman's  sickness,  i;  money  fever,  i;  to  seek  work,  62; 
unknown,  12. 

In  discussing  the  remedies,  Mr.  Waldman  calls  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  almost  half  of  the  deserters  care  for 
what  becomes  of  their  children,  and  therefore  believes 
that  stringent  measures,  as  adopted  in  Cincinnati 
where  the  deserted  women  and  children  are  handled  by 
a  different  agency  like  the  Humane  Society  and  the 
relief  given  is  in  its  form  and  amount  inadequate  with 
subsequent  but  temporary  suffering,  might  bring  back 
the  husband  who  has  left  and  prevent  a  number  of 
others  from  leaving. 

However,  in  other  cases,  this  method,  in  his  opinion, 
does  not  achieve  the  proper  results.  Consequently,  he 
expresses  his  belief  that  the  main  way  of  checking  deser- 
tion, if  not  eradicating  it  entirely,  is  proper  laws,  to- 
gether with  a  strict  prosecution  of  the  deserter. 

6.  I'he  National  Desertion  Bureau 

As  a  result  of  this  paper,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to 
form  what  is  known  as  the  National  Desertion  Bureau, 
whose  purpose  is  to  centralize  the  treatment  of  family 
desertion  for  all  cities,  and  help  prosecution  through  the 
medium  of  publicity.  This  Bureau  publishes  weekly 
in  the  Jewish  daily  press,  the  pictures  and  descriptions 
of  the  deserters  and  aids  in  their  prosecution  whenever 
necessary.  It  maintains  headquarters  and  an  office 
force  in  New  York  City.  The  Jewish  charitable  or- 
ganizations in  the  various  cities  of  the  United  States  act 
as  its  local  agents.    If  a  man  deserts  a  family  in  St. 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  177 

Louis  and  complaint  against  him  is  lodged  with  the 
St.  Louis  Charities  the  organization  obtains  certain 
information.  This  information  and  the  photograph  of 
the  deserter  are  forwarded  to  the  New  York  office. 
The  office  then  causes  the  picture  and  the  information 
to  be  printed  in  several  Yiddish  newspapers,  in  what  is 
known  as  the  "  Gallery  of  Missing  Husbands,"  a  sort  of 
modem  rogues'  gallery.  These  papers,  being  read  all 
over  the  United  States  and  Canada,  accomplish  the 
desired  results.  Persons  recognizing  such  deserters, 
gladly  inform  the  nearest  charity  office.  The  arrest  is 
made,  and  arrangements  are  made  to  return  the  man  to 
the  city  to  which  he  belongs.  In  the  majority  of  cases, 
reconciliation  is  effected,  in  other  cases,  support  of  the 
family  is  arranged.  Where  the  man  is  obstreperous, 
his  case  is  pushed  to  the  limits  of  the  law.^ 

In  the  report  presented  to  the  Conference  of  Jewish 
Charities  in  19 14  by  the  manager  of  the  Bureau,  it  was 
evident  that  desertion  had  been  considerably  checked, 
that  the  organizations  in  the  different  cities  had  been 
enabled  to  locate  the  deserters,  and  the  recent  legisla- 
tion in  the  different  states  had  made  prosecution  more 
feasible.  Up  to  that  time,  for  a  period  of  seven  years, 
the  Wife  Desertion  Bureau  received  nearly  nine  hun- 
dred cases  and  succeeded  in  locating  almost  six  hundred 
deserting  husbands,  or  about  sixty-six  per  cent.^ 

1  "Family  Desertion,"  Oscar  Leonard,  Missouri  Conference  of 
Charities  and  Corrections,  19 13. 

2  "Desertion,"  Monroe  Goldstein.  Proceedings  National  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities,  Cleveland,  191 2. 


178  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

The  record  of  Cincinnati  in  regard  to  desertion,  de- 
serves consideration.  In  a  survey  of  ten  years'  activity 
it  showed  that  the  entire  number  of  desertions  from 
1904  to  1 9 13  were  one  hundred  and  nineteen.  The 
entire  cost  of  treatment  of  these  cases  was  as  follows: 

No  cost II 

$1,  to  $99 88 

$100,  to  $199 5 

$200,  to  $500 IS 

Total 119 

Of  the  hundred  and  nineteen  cases  treated,  sixty-one 
were  aided  through  the  instrumentahty  of  the  Ohio 
Humane  Society,  sixty-three  were  settled  by  means  of 
transportation,  only  in  eight  cases  were  there  pensions 
granted,  and  the  final  outcome  of  the  cases  is  as  follows: 

Husbands  returned  to  the  city 48 

Families  reunited  in  other  cities 51 

Families  sent  to  relatives 6 

Families  self-supporting  in  Cincinnati 8 

Pending 6 

Total 119 

7.  Methods  of  Treatment 

These  results,  together  with  the  discussion  of  the 
subject,  indicate  the  method  of  proper  treatment  of 
desertion  cases  from  the  standpoint  of  charitable  or- 
ganizations,   which   can   be   summarized   as   follows: 

a.  Desertion  is  not  only  a  felony  and  is  considered  so 


DEPENDENT  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN  179 

by  the  law,  but  is  a  crime  which  should  be  prosecuted 
by  the  charity  organization  to  its  fullest  extent. 

b.  A  charity  organization  should  give  service  re- 
luctantly to  the  deserted  woman  and  her  children,  and 
whenever  possible,  should  refer  it  to  agencies  that  will 
render  relief  on  a  lower  standard  than  the  Jewish  or- 
ganizations usually  do.  This  method  prevents  the 
recurrence  of  the  desertion  which  is  committed  in  order 
to  obtain  charity,  sometimes  with  the  connivance  of  the 
wife.  It  will  prevent  desertion  of  the  man  who  really 
cares  for  his  children,  which  in  Jewish  charity  work  is 
almost  a  general  thing. 

c.  In  each  and  every  case,  all  efforts  should  be  made 
and  no  expense  spared  to  locate  the  husband.  The 
National  Desertion  Bureau  should  be  utilized,  and  all 
other  means  brought  into  play.  The  prosecution  of 
desertion  should  be  as  stringent  as  possible,  though  in 
all  cases  where  a  reunion  can  be  effected,  sentence 
should  be  suspended,  if  possible. 

Chapter  Eleven.    Dependent  Women  and  Children 

Questions 

1.  What  is  the  modem  idea  of  lessening  the  burden  of  de- 
pendent children? 

2.  Describe  the  two  systems  of  child  caring. 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  experiences  in  the  placing  out  of 
Jewish  children? 

4.  What  are  the  arguments  in  favor  of  the  congregate  system 
of  child  caring? 

5.  Describe  the  cottage  system. 


i8o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

6.  What  are  the  new  ideas  in  management  of  child-caring 
agencies? 

7.  Tell  of  the  new  "Orthodox"  tendency  in  Jewish  orphan 
asylums. 

8.  State  twelve  rules  of  child-caring  work. 

9.  State  the  problem  of  the  after-care  of  orphans. 

10.  What  are  the  purposes  of  day  nurseries  and  what  are  their 
negative  features? 

11.  What  is  the  problem  of  family  desertion? 

12.  Discuss  the  causes  of  family  desertion. 

13.  Describe  the  functions  of  the  National  Desertion  Bureau. 

14.  What  are  the  principles  of  desertion  treatment? 


XII 

INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME 

A.  Causes  of  Insufficiency  of  Income 

Under  ordinary  conditions,  the  combined  incomes  of 
the  adult  members  of  the  family  ought  to  be  sufficient 
for  the  necessities  of  life  and  save  the  family  from  de- 
pendency. It  frequently  happens,  however,  especially 
in  the  experience  of  Jewish  charities,  that  the  family  is 
compelled  to  apply  for  rehef  for  no  other  immediate 
cause  than  insufficiency  of  income.  In  other  words,  in 
this  instance,  the  combined  efforts  of  the  breadwinners 
of  the  family  are  not  sufficient  to  meet  the  necessities  of 
life.  An  analysis  of  this  particular  class  of  dependency 
shows  two  principal  subjective  conditions  responsible 
for  the  situation;  first,  the  inefficiency  of  the  bread- 
winner, or  second,  the  disproportionately  large  family 
unit,  in  which  the  family  consists  of  one  breadwinner, 
and  many  children,  together  with  a  wife,  dependent 
upon  him.  In  temporary  cases,  insufficiency  of  income 
may  be  due  to  scarcity  or  lack  of  work. 

I.  Inefficiency  of  the  Breadwinner 

In  the  majority  of  cases,  inefficiency  of  the  bread- 
winner is  due  to  the  lack  of  training.  It  is  natural  that 
the  immigrants  who  have  come  to  this  country  as 
adults,  and  who  in  their  early  days  were  not  used  to 

i8i 


i82  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

hard  manual  labor  should  find  it  difficult  to  obtain 
remunerative  emplojonent  in  any  of  the  trades  that 
require  skill  and  practice.  Lack  of  physical  endurance 
prevents  their  doing  hard,  manual  labor,  and  willy 
nilly,  they  are  forced  into  the  ranks  of  the  thousands  of 
workers  in  the  needle  trades.  But  even  if  they  come  to 
this  country  as  mechanics  from  the  old  country,  they 
are  lacking  in  speed  and  dexterity  and  are  not  used  to 
the  American  system  of  division  of  labor  in  the  realm  of 
manufacture.  A  social  worker,  extending  relief  in  this 
case,  must  be  aware  of  the  fact  that  palliative  measures, 
while  necessary  for  a  time,  will  not  solve  the  problem, 
and  in  many  instances  may  interfere  with  the  natural 
and  desirable  acquisition  of  resources  for  independence. 
In  some  instances,  the  teaching  of  a  new  trade  to  the 
immigrant  would  serve  the  purpose,  in  others,  an  initial 
expense  for  an  independent  business  pursuit  may  place 
the  family  on  a  self-supporting  basis,  and  only  in  a  few 
cases  should  a  regular  weekly  or  monthly  allowance  be 
granted  for  a  more  or  less  extended  period. 

2.  Training  in  Trades 

The  question  of  teaching  the  immigrant  trades  was 
attractive  to  the  workers  in  Jewish  philanthropy  during 
the  mass  immigration  from  Russia  in  the  eighties. 
With  this  purpose,  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund  estab- 
lished what  is  known  as  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Trade 
School.  This  institution,  in  its  incipiency,  received 
adult  pupils,  preferably  newly  arrived  immigrants, 
without  limitations  as  to  age,  and  granted  them  a 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  183 

weekly  allowance  so  as  to  make  it  possible  for  them  to 
continue  their  trade  training.  Classes  in  carpentry, 
plumbing,  machine  work,  and  sign  painting,  were  estab- 
lished. During  the  first  year  about  one  thousand  pupils 
entered  the  school,  but  almost  without  exception,  they 
remained  in  the  school  only  for  a  short  time,  and  left 
it  at  the  first  opportunity  to  secure  employment  on  the 
outside.  It  was  then  eventually  agreed  that  the  at- 
tempt to  teach  the  adult  immigrant  was  a  failure,  and 
that  the  subsidy  given  to  students  while  they  learned  a 
trade  was  imwise.  A  reorganization  of  the  school  was 
therefore  found  necessary.  Then  the  school  offered  its 
facilities  for  the  training  of  the  younger  generation; 
the  requirements  for  admission  were  made  to  include 
knowledge  of  English;  the  course  was  definitely  set  for 
five  and  a  half  months,  and  the  pupils  were  to  supply 
their  own  maintenance.  This  innovation  has  proven  in 
late  years  to  be  a  success,  and  the  school,  through 
efficient  administration  of  J.  Ernest  G.  Yalden  has 
proved  its  usefulness,  attracting  large  numbers  of 
students,  and  every  year  graduating  from  two  to  three 
hundred. 

Another  attempt  along  this  direction  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  factory  by  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of 
New  York  City,  where  the  immigrants  were  given  an 
opportunity  to  learn  some  very  simple  operations,  such 
as  garment  work,  and  where  they  were  paid  for  their 
work  while  learning.  This  venture  was  also  found  to 
be  inadequate,  and  created  considerable  legitimate 
opposition  from  the  workers  in  this  trade,  who  claimed 


i84  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

that  this  arrangement  clashed  with  their  interests. 
As  a  rule,  immigrants  enter  the  different  shops  of  the 
city,  joining  especially  the  throng  of  sweat  shop  work- 
ers, who  in  the  beginning  pay  for  the  opportunity  of 
learning  the  trade,  or  work  gratis,  and  receive  a  misera- 
ble pittance  after  they  are  through  with  their  training. 
Months  sometimes  elapse  before  they  can  earn  a  living 
at  a  trade.  This  enterprise  is  still  in  operation.  At- 
tempts were  also  made  to  establish  night  trade  classes, 
and  quite  a  successful  venture  was  made  in  this  direc- 
tion in  Philadelphia,  where  the  class  in  cigar-making  was 
especially  well  patronized. 

All  these  methods  of  trade  training,  however,  are 
more  or  less  obsolete  at  present,  as  far  as  the  adult 
immigrant  is  concerned.  It  is  only  in  individual  cases 
where  the  immigrant  avails  himself  of  the  opportunity 
offered  by  the  different  educational  institutions.  As  a 
rule  he  prefers  to  work  out  his  own  salvation  by  going 
from  shop  to  shop  and  getting  experience  as  it  comes. 
With  the  minute  specialization  of  our  industry,  the 
teaching  of  a  trade  requires  considerable  time  and  appli- 
cation, and  is  not  altogether  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the 
adult  immigrant,  who  must  augment  his  earning  capac- 
ity immediately. 

3.  Self -Respect  Fund 

The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York,  through 
the  though tfulness  of  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  in  1909  organized 
what  is  known  as  the  self-respect  fund.  At  that  time, 
Mr.  Schiff  offered  to  contribute  fifteen  thousand  dollars 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  185 

to  be  applied  to  the  temporary  relief  of  families  that  had 
never  before  received  assistance  from  the  society,  in 
order  to  enable  them  to  tide  themselves  over  the  period 
of  unemployment.  Mr.  Warner  Van  Norden,  of  New 
York,  supplemented  this  contribution  by  a  contribution 
of  his  own  amounting  to  four  thousand  dollars.  This 
self-respect  fund,  as  indicated  in  the  report  of  the 
United  Hebrew  Charities  for  1914,  saved  a  large  num- 
ber of  families  from  becoming  regular  recipients  of 
charity  from  the  organization.^ 

4.  Employment  Agencies 

But  what  is  more  important  in  cases  of  dependency 
on  account  of  lack  of  work  is  not  the  palliative  relief, 
but  provision  of  work  for  the  imemployed.  The  or- 
ganization of  finding  work  is  only  now  beginning  to 
receive  the  serious  consideration  that  it  deserves  from 
the  Federal,  State,  and  municipal  governments.  State 
and  city  employment  agencies  have  been  organized  all 
over  the  country,  but  even  now  there  is  still  need  for 
private  effort  along  this  direction. 

For  years,  the  Jewish  relief  societies  in  the  different 
cities  conducted  what  was  known  as  the  employment 
department.  This  usually  consisted  of  a  paid  agent, 
who  made  it  his  business  to  come  in  contact  \\ath  the 
employers  of  the  different  kinds  of  labor,  to  find  out 
whenever  there  was  an  opening,  and  to  place  the  appli- 

^  "  Self -Respect  Funds,"  Dr.  Lee  K.  Frankel.  Eighth  National 
Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,  Memphis,  1914.  "Jewish  Charities," 
August  8,  1914. 


,i86  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

cants  that  he  had  on  hand.  In  some  instances,  the  em- 
ployment agent  would  meet  the  applicant  early  in 
the  morning,  and  together  they  would  start  to  visit  the 
factories  and  shops,  enquiring  for  work.  The  news- 
paper announcements  were  utilized,  as  well  as  telephone 
communications.  Frequently  the  applicant  was  given  a 
letter  to  a  place  where  there  was  an  opening.  On  the 
whole,  however,  the  work  was  done  in  a  haphazard 
way,  and  little  attention  was  paid  to  the  specific  qualifi- 
cations of  the  applicant.^  In  some  cities  like  Chicago, 
the  employment  is  under  the  auspices  of  the  independ- 
ent order  of  B'nai  B'rith,  again,  in  some  cities  it  was 
found  efficient  to  employ  a  lady  in  the  capacity  of  em- 
plo)anent  agent.  The  rise  of  municipal  and  state 
agencies  will  make  it  unnecessary  for  the  Jewish  agen- 
cies to  continue  this  work  to  the  same  extent.  It  is  only 
for  the  immigrant  and  the  handicapped  that  private 
effort  will  have  to  supplement  the  work  of  the  govern- 
ment. 

1  "The  Problem  of  Unemployment,"  Miss  Frances  Kellor. 

An  exception  to  the  general  run  of  emplo5mient  bureaus  is  tJhe 
one  conducted  in  New  York  City  under  the  auspices  of  the  Kehillah. 
Subsidized  by  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York,  the  New 
York  Foundation  and  the  Jewish  Protectory,  this  bureau  specializes 
in  procuring  work  for  handicapped  persons — applicants  for  relief, 
non-English  speaking  persons,  sabbath  observers,  ex-convicts,  dis- 
charged soldiers  and  sailors,  juvenile  delinquents,  cripples,  etc.  The 
bureau  is  very  efficiently  conducted,  handles  several  thousand  cases 
a  year,  and,  considering  its  class  of  applicants,  has  a  high  ratio  of 
placements.  Moreover,  it  makes  a  point  of  investigating  each  in- 
dividual case  within  thirty  days  after  placement.  Twice  a  year,  a 
similar  investigation  on  a  broader  scale  is  made. 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  187 

B.  Establishment  in  Business 
Another  method  of  increasing  the  income  of  the 
family  has  been  found  in  establishing  the  given  person 
in  a  business  of  his  own.  It  is  quite  frequent  that  a 
person  cannot  qualify  to  fill  a  position  in  another  es- 
tablishment but  is  quite  capable  of  working  for  him- 
self. In  this  instance  he  will  require  his  own  tools  and 
some  investment  for  materials,  a  location  and  equip- 
ment for  a  little  store  or  a  shop  as  the  case  may  be. 
Thus,  a  number  of  shoemakers  who  have  come  from 
the  old  country  where  they  were  plying  their  trade  for 
themselves,  find  that  they  cannot  join  the  large  fac- 
tories in  this  country,  where  machinery  and  division 
of  labor  make  their  specific  skill  unnecessary.  This 
particular  class  of  mechanics,  however,  find  a  liveli- 
hood in  following  the  cobbling  trade,  and  by  opening 
a  little  shop,  they  may  gradually  work  up  into  a  store 
of  their  own.  A  similar  experience  is  to  be  had  in 
the  case  of  tailors,  who  have  succeeded  in  estab- 
lishing their  own  business  as  repairing  and  cleaning 
shop-keepers,  and  eventually  in  securing  their  own  cus- 
tomers for  tailor-made  clothing.  This  is  true,  prac- 
tically speaking,  for  every  trade  where  a  small  invest- 
ment equips  a  person  to  make  a  livelihood  in  his  own 
trade.  In  such  cases,  employment  for  others  would 
mean  a  hard  and  difficult  road  to  self-advancement. 
Then  again,  there  is  the  case  of  people  who  have  no 
special  training  whatever.  Their  experience  as  small 
tradesmen  in  their  own  country  does  not  equip  them 
with  earning  capacity  here.    Lacking  a  knowledge  of 


1 88  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

English  and  conditions,  they  cannot  get  positions  as 
salesmen,  but,  with  a  little  capital  of  their  own  they 
are  capable  of  starting  into  business  as  peddlers,  huck- 
sters, storekeepers  and  so  forth.  From  the  standpoint 
of  a  reUef  agency,  assistance  given  to  a  person  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  him  in  business  of  his  own 
should  be  considered  only  to  the  extent  that  it  saves 
the  family  from  remaining  a  burden  on  charity.  In 
other  words,  if  a  family  is  compelled  to  apply  for  relief 
more  or  less  periodically,  and  if  an  investment  of  a 
certain  amount  of  money  would  make  the  family  self- 
supporting,  or  would  lessen  the  dependency  of  the 
family,  then  the  wisdom  of  establishing  it  in  business 
is  self-evident.  As  in  every  other  business  venture, 
however,  these  investments  are  uncertain  and  very 
frequently  result  in  loss,  but  in  judging  of  the  results 
of  this  particular  kind  of  effort,  we  must  take  into 
consideration  the  increase  in  earning  capacity  that 
resulted  rather  than  the  solution  of  the  case  in  ques- 
tion. An  investigation  made  by  the  United  Jewish 
Charities  of  Cincinnati  of  forty-eight  cases  established 
in  business  indicates  that  over  one-fourth  became  self- 
supporting.^  Adding  to  this  proportion  the  cases  in 
which  the  relief  agency  was  compelled  to  supply  less 
than  twenty  per  cent  of  the  minimum  necessary  to 
support  the  family,  only  one-fourth  were  failures.  Of 
the  total  amount  invested  in  business,  fifty-seven  per 
cent  remained  intact.  The  average  weekly  earning 
capacity  was  about  eight  and  four-tenths  per  cent 
1  "Jewish  Charities,"  Vol.  5,  No.  8,  Maurice  B.  Hexter. 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  189 

for  each  dollar  invested.  There  is  another  phase  to 
the  situation.  A  case  may  become  self-supporting  and 
nevertheless  earn  less  per  week  and  per  dollar  invested 
than  one  who  did  not  succeed  in  covering  expenses. 
This  depends  upon  the  amount  invested  and  the  size 
of  the  family.  We  find  that  even  in  cases  where  the 
relief  organization  has  to  supply  relief,  from  fifty  to 
ninety  per  cent  of  the  amount  necessary  to  support 
the  family,  the  investment  still  paid  from  seven-tenths 
to  one  per  cent  a  week  for  each  dollar  invested.  The 
method  of  establishing  dependent  families  in  business 
is  especially  adapted  in  cases  where  the  breadwinner 
is  handicapped  in  his  earning  capacity,  for  instance 
in  the  case  of  old  age,  sickness  preventing  hard  manual 
labor,  etc.  The  character  of  the  business  selected 
depends  upon  the  conditions  as  well  as  the  individual 
pecuHarities  of  the  person  in  question. 

In  connection  with  the  establishment-in-business 
method,  relief  societies  have  recently  developed  a 
method  of  free  loans  to  the  poor.  This  should  not  be 
confused,  however,  with  the  work  of  the  Gemilath 
Chesed, — free  loan  societies  where  the  cHentele's  credit 
is  guaranteed  by  endorsement  or  pledges  of  some 
solvent  parties. 

The  largest  of  these  organizations  is  that  established 
in  New  York  in  1892.  Ini9i4  this  organization  was 
reported  to  have  a  capital  of  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  thousand  dollars  and  to  have  distributed  during 
the  year  six  hundred  and  thirty-two  thousand  and 
four  hundred  and  ten  dollars  in  the  form  of  loans.    The 


IQO  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

money  is  loaned  on  notes  endorsed  by  responsible 
people,  without  charge  of  interest  or  expense  of  any  kind, 
the  borrower  repaying  the  loans  in  small  weekly  install- 
ments. The  statistics  of  the  society  show  that  ninety- 
seven  per  cent  of  the  loans  are  repaid  by  the  borrowers 
themselves,  and  only  two  per  cent  by  the  endorsers, 
while  there  is  only  about  one-half  per  cent  loss.^  Similar 
organizations  are  established  in  almost  every  large  city. 
Most  of  them  are  conducted  as  separate  agencies,  sup- 
ported largely  by  the  orthodox  constituency,  though 
lately  a  free  loan  society  is  becoming  an  important  part 
of  organized  philanthropic  effort,  as  shown  in  Chicago, 
where  the  Free  Loan  Society  connected  with  the  Bureau 
of  Personal  Service  is  doing  excellent  work. 

C.  Self-Siipport  Funds 

The  self-support  fund  of  the  United  Hebrew  Charities 
of  New  York  City  was  established  in  1900  and  was 
made  possible  through  the  contribution  of  the  sum 
of  five  thousand  dollars  by  Mr.  Jacob  H.  Schiff  of  New 
York.  In  making  this  grant  Mr.  Schiff  made  the  con- 
dition that  the  sum  was  to  be  loaned  to  deserving  poor 
whose  economic  condition  had  been  carefully  ascer- 
tained, and  where  there  seemed  to  be  some  likelihood 
of  enabling  the  family  to  become  self-supporting,  as 
a  result  of  the  grant.  It  was  further  understood  that 
where  possible,  the  effort  should  be  made  to  have  the 
grants  returned.    In  other  words,  it  was  understood  in 

^"Free  Loans,"  Julius  J.  Dukas.  Proceedings  of  the  National 
Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,  Memphis,  19 14. 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  191 

making  the  allowances  that  the  beneficiaries  received 
them  as  loans  rather  than  as  relief  granted.  The 
conditions  under  which  the  loans  were  to  be  repaid 
were  exceptionally  easy.  No  collateral  was  required 
of  the  borrower  nor  were  any  endorsements  required 
on  the  note  which  he  was  expected  to  give.  The  larger 
proportion  of  the  loans  made  during  the  first  year  were 
granted  in  the  hope  that  the  individuals  who  had 
received  the  benefit  of  sanitarium  treatment  and  who 
had  returned  to  their  families  either  cured  or  improved 
might,  as  a  result,  be  enabled  to  establish  themselves 
in  some  small  business  enterprise,  such  as  peddling, 
storekeeping,  etc. 

Since  1900  Mr.  Schiff  has  generously  made  addi- 
tional contributions  to  the  self-support  fund.  The 
total  results  from  thirteen  years  show  that  one  thousand 
four  hundred  and  eighty  loans  were  made  amounting 
to  one  hundred  four  thousand  and  six  hundred  seven 
dollars  and  forty-nine  cents,  that  fifteen  per  cent  of 
all  the  borrowers  repaid  an  amount  equal  to  thirteen 
per  cent  of  the  sum  invested,  that  thirty-four  per  cent 
repaid  in  part  about  fourteen  per  cent  of  the  money 
invested,  that  fifty-one  per  cent  of  the  borrowers  did 
not  repay  at  all.  Of  the  latter  loans,  however,  eleven 
per  cent  are  considered  to  be  collectible.  From  the 
standpoint  of  a  free  loan  society,  the  proportion  of  the 
loans  collected  is  discouraging,  but  from  the  relief  stand- 
point the  question  is  not  how  much  was  collected,  but  to 
what  extent  did  this  investment  result  in  diminishing 
the  dependency  of  a  family.    In  one  hundred  four 


192  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

of  the  New  York  cases  selected  at  random  in  1916,  it 
was  found  that  ninety-two  had  become  self-supporting. 

D.  Temporary  Dependency 

Insufficiency  of  income  is  frequently  due  to  some 
temporary  condition,  and  dependency  in  this  case  is 
abated  by  the  savings  of  the  individual,  by  the  credit 
power  that  he  may  possess,  or  by  a  temporary  reduc- 
tion in  the  standard  of  Kving.  This  is  the  case  for 
instance,  when  work  is  slack  or  when  a  person  is  tem- 
porarily thrown  out  of  his  regular  employment.  Tem- 
porary relief  in  cases  like  this  becomes  necessary  and 
frequently  the  family  is  reduced  to  dependency  for  no 
other  reason  than  lack  of  work.  In  a  time  of  continuous 
industrial  panic,  the  problem  of  finding  employment 
is  difficult  of  solution.  Some  artificial  employment  is 
usually  inaugurated  to  bridge  over  the  hard  time. 
Municipal  work  established  in  different  cities  during 
the  panic  of  19 14  was  utilized  to  a  large  extent  by 
Jewish  philanthropic  agencies.  Jewish  unemployed  par- 
ticipated in  the  different  works  established  by  the  cities, 
but  this  was  not  sufficient  in  many  cases.  To  cope  with 
this,  relief  agencies  in  some  instances  organized  their 
own  works,  giving  employment  to  those  who  needed  help. 
The  character  of  the  work,  however,  and  the  manage- 
ment did  not  differ  in  any  way  from  the  methods 
usually  employed  in  private  and  municipal  efforts. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  period  of  industrial 
depression  throws  a  large  number  of  self-supporting 
families  into  the  class  of  dependents,  who  under  normal 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  193 

economic  conditions,  would  require  no  charity  inter- 
ference. There  is  always  danger  that  relief  granted 
during  bad  times  may  weaken  some  of  the  applicants 
and  tempt  them  to  continue  their  dependency  upon 
charity,  when  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary.  During 
the  industrial  depression  of  19 10,  the  United  Jewish 
Charities  of  Cincinnati  took  the  situation  into  con- 
sideration and  carefully  watched  each  and  every 
case  of  relief -giving  to  the  unemployed,  endeavor- 
ing to  rehabilitate  the  family  on  a  self-supporting 
basis  as  soon  as  possible.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was 
quite  careful  to  continue  adequate  relief  whenever 
it  was  necessary  and  to  avoid  hardship  caused  by 
an  abrupt  withdrawal  of  relief,  thus  giving  families 
an  opportunity  to  regain  their  independent  existence, 
which  had  been  shattered  and  dislocated  by  conditions 
over  which  they  had  no  control. 

The  total  number  of  cases  applying  for  assistance  on 
account  of  lack  of  work  for  the  period  of  thirty  months, 
beginning  October,  19 13,  to  February,  19 16,  was  one 
hundred  and  eighty-nine.  These  and  their  families 
comprised  four  hundred  and  twelve  adults  and  five 
hundred  and  forty-one  children,  making  a  total  of  nine 
hundred  and  fifty-three  individuals.  The  duration  of 
dependency  is  expressed  as  follows: 

18.5  per  cent  were  assisted  only  for  one  week. 
22.7  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  one  month. 
50.2  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  six  months. 
8.6  per  cent  were  assisted  more  than  six  months. 

Analyzing  the  duration  and  cost  of  the  above  cases. 


194  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

we  find  that  in  total,  they  were  assisted  on  account  of 
lack  of  work  one  thousand  five  hundred  and  forty-five 
weeks,  at  a  total  cost  of  ten  thousand  four  hundred 
ninety-eight  dollars  and  fifty-six  cents,  or  six  dollars 
and  seventy-nine  cents  per  case  per  week,  or  one  dollar 
and  thirty-six  cents  per  person  per  week. 

Of  these,  forty-one  were  never  before  applicants  for 
any  charity  assistance;  these  and  their  families  com- 
prised eighty-seven  adults  and  sixty-five  children,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  individuals. 

24.4  per  cent  were  assisted  only  for  one  week. 

36.5  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  one  month. 
36.5  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  six  months. 

2.6  per  cent  were  assisted  more  than  six  months. 

Analyzing  the  duration  and  cost  of  the  above  cases, 
we  find  that  in  total,  they  were  assisted  on  account  of 
lack  of  work  two  hundred  and  forty-four  weeks  at  a 
total  cost  of  one  thousand  four  hundred  eighteen  dollars 
and  eighty-eight  cents,  or  five  dollars  and  eighty-two 
cents  per  case  per  week,  or  one  dollar  and  fifty-one  cents 
per  person  per  week. 

Of  the  total,  there  were  one  hundred  and  twenty  old 
cases,  comprising  two  hundred  and  sixty-three  adults 
and  three  hundred  and  eighty  children,  making  a  total 
of  six  hundred  and  forty-three  individuals. 

17.5  per  cent  were  assisted  only  for  one  week. 

25.0  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  one  month. 

46.7  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  six  months. 

10.8  per  cent  were  assisted  more  than  six  months. 

Analyzing  the  duration  and  cost  of  the  above  cases, 


INSUFFICIENCY  OF  INCOME  195 

we  find  that  in  total,  they  were  assisted  on  account  of 
lack  of  work  one  thousand  and  ninety-three  weeks  at  a 
total  cost  of  seven  thousand  seven  hundred  and  five 
dollars  and  nineteen  cents,  or  seven  dollars  and  five 
cents  per  case  per  week,  or  one  dollar  and  thirty-three 
cents  per  person  per  week. 

The  remaining  cases,  twenty-eight  in  number,  were 
those  registered  in  the  charity  office  on  previous  oc- 
casions, but  had  never  received  assistance  on  account 
of  lack  of  employment.  This  group  comprises  sixty- 
two  adults  and  ninety-six  children,  making  a  total  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  individuals. 

14.3  per  cent  were  assisted  only  for  one  week. 

32.2  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  one  month. 

46.3  per  cent  were  assisted  not  more  than  six  months. 
7.2  per  cent  were  assisted  more  than  six  months. 

Analyzing  the  duration  and  cost  of  the  above  cases, 
we  find  that  in  total,  they  were  out  of  work  two  hun- 
dred and  eight  weeks  at  a  cost  of  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  seventy-four  dollars  and  nine  cents  or 
six  dollars  and  sixty-one  cents  per  case  per  week,  or 
one  dollar  and  eighteen  cents  per  person  per  week. 

Chapter  Twelve.   Insufficiency  of  Income 
Questions 

1.  Enumerate  causes  of  insufficiency  of  income. 

2.  What  are  the  means  of  increasing  income? 

3.  Discuss  the  differences  between  self-respect  funds  and  self- 
support  funds. 

4.  What  are  the  criteria  of  success  in  the  use  of  the  method 
of  estabUshing  in  business? 

5.  Discuss  temporary  dependency  caused  by  unemployment. 


XIII 
STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF 

While  the  different  aspects  of  the  relief  problem 
have  been  receiving  serious  consideration  and  thought 
by  organized  Jewish  effort  and  thought,  it  is  strange 
that  in  all  these  years,  the  question  of  standards  of 
relief,  so  vexing  a  proposition  with  non- Jewish  agencies, 
was  seldom  if  ever,  brought  up  for  discussion.  There 
must  be  good  reason  for  this  omission,  as  well  as  some 
ground  why  the  question  should  receive  our  attention 
at  present. 

At  different  times,  under  different  conditions,  the 
standard  of  relief  to  the  poor,  and  the  corresponding 
obligation  of  society  to  the  needy,  was  differently  an- 
swered by  the  Jews.  Thus,  the  ancient  Hebrews  pre- 
scribed that  we  should  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the 
naked,  and  provide  for  the  homeless  in  accordance 
with  their  individual  usages:  if  they  are  accustomed  to 
servants,  they  should  be  supplied  wath  them,  if  used  to 
a  higher  plane  of  hfe,  they  should  not  be  deprived  of  it. 
There  was  no  general  uniform  standard  to  be  followed. 
Later,  we  find  the  development  of  a  standard  leading 
toward  a  constructive  policy — the  highest  form  of 
help  to  the  poor  is  enabling  them  to  help  themselves, 
and  again,  personal  service  as  the  criterion  of  the 
efficacy  of  rehef  is  emphasized.     The  idea  that  the 

196 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  197 

poor  are  entitled  to  a  minimum  allowance  is  of  recent 
origin  with  the  Jews.  The  problem  was  formerly  con- 
sidered from  the  standpoint  of  the  giver;  it  was  a 
question  of  how  much  a  person  ought  to  contribute  for 
charity,  rather  than  the  extent  to  which  the  individual 
poor  should  receive  assistance. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  total  charity  dis- 
tributed among  the  Jews  as  rehef  funds  by  the  Jews 
is  on  the  increase;  the  generosity  of  our  people  is  not 
weakening,  but  at  the  same  time  we  observe  that  in 
almost  all  instances  there  is  a  lack  of  funds  to  meet 
the  demands  for  adequate  relief,  and  a  very  marked 
deviation  from  the  ambitious  claim  of  the  Jews  that 
they  themselves  will  take  care  of  their  own.  They 
are  compelled  to  utihze  the  municipal  and  state 
agencies  to  which  they  are  duly  entitled,  but  which 
they  avoided  in  previous  years  in  handling  the  poor, 
and  in  some  instances  are  willing  to  accept  help 
from  private,  non- Jewish  sources  to  meet  their  own 
problems. 

The  new  interest  in  regard  to  standards  of  living 
may  be  prompted  by  this  general  tendency  for  econ- 
omy, conditioned  by  necessity.  On  the  other  hand, 
Jewish  endeavors  fall  short  of  funds  to  meet  the  de- 
mands of  the  relief  work,  yet  they  are  constantly  ex- 
tending their  activities  in  other  fields  of  philanthropic 
activity,  showing  that  the  capacity  for  the  support  of 
charitable  endeavor  has  not  reached  its  maximum. 
The  probability  is  that  the  results  of  our  relief  prac- 
tice are  not  altogether  satisfactory,  and  that  they 


198  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

warrant  a  study  of  our  methods  and  an  examination 
into  the  question  whether  we  did  not  sin  in  adopting 
standards  which  were  either  too  high  or  too  low.  It 
is  still  necessary  to  justify  the  expenditure  of  large 
sums  of  money  for  relief  and  to  prove  that  the  money 
spent  serves  a  good  purpose. 

Excessive  rehef  would  express  itself  in  the  demoraliza- 
tion of  the  poor  and  spread  pauperism,  while  inefficient 
relief  would  spell  suffering,  degradation,  and  further 
wreckage  of  humanity  with  all  its  deplorable  sequences. 
The  fear  of  the  demoralizing  effects  of  excessive  relief 
in  the  field  of  Jewish  endeavor  was  thoroughly  and 
forcibly  dispelled  by  Dr.  Lee  K.  Frankel  at  the  Detroit 
Conference  in  1902.  Two  years  later,  Dr.  Lowenstein 
presented  a  discussion  on  the  subject  of  adequacy  of 
relief, — touching  on  the  same  subject.  He  expressed 
great  doubt  that  there  was  any  reason  to  suppose  that 
cities  like  New  York  had  reason  to  expect  demoraliza- 
tion because  of  excessive  relief  given  by  the  organiza- 
tions. A  superficial  study  of  persistency  of  dependency, 
as  expressed  in  the  number  and  character  of  the  ap- 
plications for  rehef  for  a  period  of  five  years  was  pre- 
sented at  the  Philadelphia  Conference  in  1906,  lead- 
ing to  the  conclusion  that  Jewish  charity  organizations 
need  not  be  in  fear  of  fostering  or  promoting  pauperism. 
Thus  indications  are  that  the  difficulty  lies  not  in 
excessive  relief,  but  rather  in  inefficient  relief,  a  low 
standard  that  is  so  flagrant  that  it  requires  the  atten- 
tion of  the  pubUc. 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  199 

A.  Different  Standards 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  attitude  of  the  different 
Jewish  communities  to  the  relief  problem  of  to-day. 
f'or  some  years,  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New 
York  advanced  the  idea  that  the  number  of  persons 
applying  for  rehef  is  diminishing.  At  the  same  time, 
they  have  recognized  that  the  cost  of  treating  their 
dependents  has  been  considerably  increased.  The 
diminishing  number  of  applicants  for  relief  in  this 
organization  can  be  differently  interpreted,  as  was 
suggested  at  the  New  York  Conference  in  1904.  It 
may  mean  that  poverty  is  on  the  decrease  in  the  metrop- 
olis; it  may  indicate  that  the  efficient  methods  of  the 
organization  forced  the  appUcants  to  greater  exertions 
to  become  self-supporting;  or  it  may  simply  point  to 
the  fact  that  those  who  really  need  assistance  seek 
it  in  other  quarters  and  do  not  apply  to  the  United 
Hebrew  Charities,  knowing  that  they  cannot  obtain 
it  there.  There  is,  however,  no  doubt  that  those  who 
come  for  relief  now,  come  for  graver  reasons  than  in 
the  days  when  the  applicant  came  for  temporary  relief 
only.  This  condition  we  meet  in  all  cities.  Temporary 
relief,  the  problem  of  helping  the  individual  in  a  small 
way  to  bridge  over  a  short  period  of  embarrassment, 
be  it  right  after  his  arrival  or  during  unemployment, 
slight  ailments,  and  so  on,  is  largely  a  matter  taken 
care  of  by  neighborly  assistance,  without  great  con- 
cern to  organized  efforts. 

The  applicant  of  to-day  presents  a  more  compli- 
cated problem.    He  is  the  victim  of  tuberculosis,  away 


200  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

more  or  less  permanently  from  his  natural  setting,  his 
family  presents  a  case  of  prolonged  and  persistent 
dependency.  He  is  the  person  suffering  with  a  chronic 
or  incurable  disease  and  presenting  a  continuous 
problem  of  the  care  of  the  family,  or  it  is  the  widow 
and  her  children  left  without  any  provision  for  their 
independent  existence,  the  large  army  o{  deserted 
women  and  children,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  man 
with  the  large  family  and  insufficient  income  to  meet 
the  necessities  of  life.  These  very  cases  presuppose 
continuous  treatment;  they  are  cumulative  in  their  very 
nature. 

The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York  reports 
that  of  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  ten  cases 
treated  during  the  year  191 2-13,  one  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  seventy-five  required  more  than  twenty- 
five  dollars  assistance;  that  tuberculosis  and  widow- 
hood, permanent  factors  of  dependency,  required  54.3 
per  cent  of  the  entire  amount  expended;  that  80.2  per 
cent  of  all  the  applicants  were  residents  of  the  United 
States  for  over  five  years.  All  these  facts  indicate  the 
character  of  the  work  that  the  Jewish  charities  are 
handhng,  and  the  seriousness  of  the  problem  with 
which  they  are  confronted. 

The  Jewish  Aid  Society  of  Brooklyn  acknowledges 
the  inadequacy  of  relief  and  reports  that  the  average 
amount  granted  per  case  has  fallen  from  $  23.75  ^  the 
year  1910,  to  $20.97  ^^  the  year  191 1. 

The  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  Philadelphia  ven- 
tures the  assertion  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  chari- 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  201 

able  organization  to  assist  each  and  every  applicant, 
however  worthy,  who  may  require  assistance.  The 
organization,  therefore,  endeavors  to  help  a  few  wisely, 
rather  than  endeavoring  to  scatter  broadcast  the  money 
in  its  care. 

The  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society  of  Baltimore  re- 
ports a  very  small  number  of  cases  of  dependency, 
and  an  exceedingly  conservative  amount  spent  for 
rehef.  In  the  report  for  191 2,  it  presents  also  an  in- 
teresting study  of  a  growing  tendency  toward  inca- 
pacity, manifested  in  Jewish  families  of  a  certain  group, 
pointing  to  the  problem  of  "pauper  blood." 

Cleveland  also  mentions  pauperism  with  which  they 
have  to  cope,  while  Cinciimati  continues  to  insist  upon 
adequate  and  generous  rehef,  and  increases  its  budget 
for  the  relief  department  year  after  year. 

Boston  acknowledges  that  it  is  not  doing  or  giving 
enough,  especially  to  the  sick  or  disabled. 

St.  Louis,  on  the  other  hand,  reports  a  decrease  of 
expenses,  and  a  considerable  increase  of  per  capita 
allowance  for  the  pensioners,  and  Detroit  finds  the 
number  of  pensioners  increasing. 

It  is  refreshing  to  read  the  report  of  the  Jewish  Aid 
Society  of  Chicago.  They  are  doing  great  things 
there,  and  they  spent  more  money  in  19 14  than 
any  time  before.  They  are  proud  that  they  have 
a  larger  staff  and  a  better  administration,  and  they 
threaten  to  make  it  even  more  efificient  and  more 
expensive. 


202  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

B.  Individual  Standards 

It  is  neither  wise  nor  expedient  to  insist  upon  uniform 
standards  for  all  cases  belonging  to  different  categories. 
The  criterion  of  proper  standards  should  be,  after  all, 
sought  in  the  results,  rather  than  in  the  course  of  treat- 
ment. Thus,  in  the  care  of  tubercular  cases,  economy 
would  be  wise  and  legitimate  only  with  certain  limita- 
tions. The  problem,  primarily,  would  be  to  save  the 
Hfe  of  the  individual  and  to  enable  him  to  regain  his 
earning  capacity,  to  maintain  the  unity  of  the  family, 
and  to  rehabilitate  the  entire  group  to  a  normal  condi- 
tion of  self-support.  ReUef  should  be  adequate,  but  not 
too  large  to  weaken  the  desire  upon  the  part  of  the 
individual  to  regain  his  independent  standing. 

The  fear  of  doing  too  much  for  a  widow  and  her 
children  is  not  justifiable,  as  long  as  the  treatment  does 
not  interfere  with  the  development  of  the  children.  It 
is  self-evident,  that  if  the  children  are  provided  with 
necessities,  given  the  opportunity  for  education  and  the 
advantages  of  proper  surroundings,  there  can  result 
no  harm,  either  to  them  or  to  society.  If  the  children 
are  not  fortunate  enough  to  be  born  into  families  that 
are  endowed  with  the  blessings  of  plenty,  if  their  natural 
guardian  and  provider,  the  father,  was  prematurely 
taken  away  before  they  reached  maturity,  if  society  is 
to  act  in  "loco  parentis,"  why  should  not  they  be  pro- 
vided with  conditions  of  normal  living  and  an  opportu- 
nity for  a  better  and  fuller  life?  It  is  quite  different, 
however,  in  the  treatment  of  cases,  the  dependency  of 
which  was  caused  by  family  desertion.    Excessive  or 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  203 

even  more  or  less  adequate  relief  will  tend  to  make 
desertion  attractive  and  prevent  the  solution  of  cases 
that  can  be  solved.  It  would  probably  be  only  an 
impetus  for  a  man  in  difficulty  to  shake  off  his  responsi- 
biUties  letting  the  charities  take  care  of  his  family. 
Prevention  in  this  case  is  possible,  and  more  important 
than  the  palliative  treatment. 

The  question  of  granting  continuous  relief  on  account 
of  insufficient  income,  lack  of  work,  and  so  on,  also 
presents  great  difficulty.  Theoretically,  no  organiza- 
tion can  cope  with  this  problem.  Excessive  relief  in  this 
instance  is  undoubtedly  of  questionable  value,  and  still 
it  seems  to  be  impossible  to  avoid  helping  famihes 
whose  income  does  not  permit  even  the  minimum  allow- 
ance for  necessities.  It  need  not  be  mentioned  that 
this  minimum  is  relative  and  does  not  permit  of  strict 
definition. 

C.  Existing  Standards  of  Living 

A  study  in  19 13  of  the  actual  expenses  for  food  of 
fifty-two  families  of  Cincinnati  who  are  either  supported 
in  full  by  the  charities  or  temporarily  assisted  in  time  of 
need  has  been  made  the  basis  for  a  calculation  of  a  usual 
standard  of  living  as  practiced  by  the  class  of  our  people 
where  the  expenditure  of  every  cent  has  to  be  carefully 
considered.  This  has  been  taken  as  a  guiding  principle 
in  giving  relief  to  families,  with  the  reservation  that  in 
case  of  sickness,  the  standard  is  accordingly  increased, 
while  under  other  circumstances,  correspondingly  de- 
creased.   Schedules  of  daily  expenses  prepared  for  this 


204  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

purpose  were  carefully  filled  out  for  a  period  of  three 
weeks;  these  were  taken  as  a  basis  for  the  study  of  the 
expenditures  for  food,  from  these  an  average  for  a 
normal  family,  consisting  of  man,  wife,  and  three  minor 
children  was  deduced,  which  expressed  itself  in  twenty- 
five  cents  per  unit  per  day.  The  differing  values  of 
the  individuals  in  the  family  are  taken  from  the  scale 
adopted  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Agriculture 
("  Farmers'  Bulletin,"  No.  142,  p.  12),  which  is  as 
follows: 

An  adult  woman  requires  .8  as  much  as  an  adult  man. 

A  boy  of  15  to  16  requires  .9  "  "  " 

A  boy  of  13  to  14  requires  .8  "  "  " 

A  boy  of  12  to  14  requires  .7  "  "  " 

A  boy  of  ID  to  II  requires  .6  "  "  " 

A  girl  of  15  to  16  requires  .8  "  "  " 

A  girl  of  13  to  14  requires  .7  "  "  " 

A  girl  of  10  to  12  requires  .6  "  "  " 

A  child  of  6  to  9  requires    .5  "  "  " 

A  child  from  2  to  5  requires  .4  "  "  ' 

A  child  under  2  requires     .3  "  "  ' 

A  tentative  hypothesis  was  assmned  that,  a  priori, 
there  is  a  direct  relation  between  the  cost  of  food  per 
unit  in  the  family  and  the  size  of  the  family.  By 
graphic  representation  of  the  data,  indicating  the 
deviation  of  the  size  of  the  family  and  the  cost  per  unit 
from  the  mean,  this  was  conclusively  proved  to  be  so. 
In  order  to  ascertain  the  exact  relationship  of  these  two 
variables,  the  true  standard  deviation  was  determined 
by  exact,  statistical  method,  and  a  graphic  representa- 
tion was  obtained,  from  which  curve,  by  interpolation, 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF 


205 


the  following  table  of  cost  per  unit  in  families  of  dimin- 
ishing size  was  obtained.  Naturally  the  number  of 
cases  represented  in  the  study  was  too  small  to  make  it 
accurate,  but  it  is  sufficient  for  practical  purposes.  The 
table  used  is  as  follows : 


Daily  Cost 
per  Unit 
for  Food 

Weekly  Cost  per  Family 

Number  of 
Units  in 
Family 

Food 

^^^^^""«     aZ 

xel 
Light 

Miscel- 
laneous 

Total 
{exclusive 
of  Rent) 

i-S 

35.0  cents 

$3-67 

$1.10           $. 

50 

$1.10 

$6.37 

1.6 

33-7     " 

3-77 

13 

51 

13 

6.54 

1-7 

32.S      " 

3.87 

16 

52 

16 

6.71 

1.8 

31.2      " 

3-93 

18 

53 

18 

6.82 

1.9 

30.0     " 

3-99 

20 

54 

20 

6-93 

2.0 

28.8     " 

4  03 

21 

55 

21 

7.00 

2.1 

28.6     " 

4.20 

26 

57 

26 

7.29 

2.2 

28.4     " 

4-37 

31 

59 

31 

7-58 

2.3 

28.2      " 

4-54 

36 

61 

36 

7.87 

2.4 

28.0     " 

4.70 

41 

63 

41 

8.15 

2-5 

27.8     " 

4.87 

46 

65 

46 

8.44 

2.6 

27-3     " 

4-97 

49 

67 

49 

8.62 

2.7 

26.9     " 

5.08 

52 

69 

52 

8.81 

2.8 

26.4     " 

5-17 

55 

70 

55 

8.97 

2.9 

2S-9     " 

5-25 

58 

71 

58 

9.12 

30 

25-4     " 

5-33 

60 

72 

60 

925 

31 

25.2      " 

S-47 

64 

74 

64 

9-79 

3-2 

25.0     " 

5.60 

68 

76 

68 

9.72 

3-3 

24.8     " 

5-73 

72 

78 

72 

9-9S 

3-4 

24.6     " 

i-^S 

75 

79 

75 

10.14 

3-5 

24.4     " 

5-98 

79 

81 

79 

10.37 

3-6 

24-3     " 

6.12 

84 

83 

84 

10.63 

3-7 

24.2      " 

6.25 

87 

.84 

87 

10.83 

3.8 

24.1      " 

6.27 

.88 

•85 

88 

10.88 

3-9 

24.0     " 

6.SS 

•97 

.88 

•97 

11-37 

4.0 

24.0     " 

6.72 

2 

.01 

.89 

2 

.01 

11.63 

41 

23-5      " 

6.74 

2 

.02 

.91 

2 

.02 

11.69 

2o6 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


per  Unit 
for  Food 

Weekly  Cost  per  Family 

Number  of 
Units  in 
Family 

Food 

Clothing 

Fuel 
and  Light 

Miscel- 
laneoiis 

Total 
{exclusive 
of  Rent) 

4.2 

23.1  cents 

6.79 

2.04 

.92 

2.04 

11.79 

4 

•3 

22.6     " 

6 

.80 

2.04 

.92 

2.04 

11.80 

4 

•  4 

22.2     " 

6 

■83 

2.05 

.92 

2.05 

11.84 

4 

5 

21.7     " 

6 

.84 

2.05 

.92 

2.05 

11.86 

4 

.6 

21.6     " 

6 

.96 

2.09 

•  94 

2.09 

11.88 

4 

7 

21.6     " 

7 

.11 

2.13 

.96 

2.13 

12.33 

4 

8 

21.S     " 

7 

.22 

2.16 

97 

2. 16 

12.51 

4 

9 

21.5     " 

7 

37 

2.21 

99 

2.21 

12.88 

5 

0 

21.4     " 

7 

49 

2.25 

01 

2.25 

13.00 

S 

I 

21.4     " 

7 

64 

2.29 

03 

2.29 

13-25 

5 

2 

21.3     " 

7 

75 

2.32 

05 

2.32 

1344 

5 

3 

21.3     " 

7 

90 

2.37 

07 

2.37 

13-71 

5 

4 

21.2     " 

8 

01 

2.40 

08 

2.40 

13.89 

5 

5 

21.2     " 

8 

16 

2.45 

10 

2.45 

14.16 

5 

6 

21. 1     " 

8 

27 

2.48 

12 

2.48 

14.35 

5 

7 

21. 1     " 

8 

41 

2.52 

13 

2.52 

14.58 

5 

8 

21.0     " 

8 

53 

2.56 

IS 

2.56 

14.80 

5 

9 

21.0     " 

8 

67 

2.60 

17 

2.60 

15.04 

6 

0 

20.9     " 

8 

78 

2.63 

18 

2.63 

15.22 

6 

I 

20.9     " 

8 

91 

2.67 

20 

2.67 

15-45 

6 

2 

20.8     " 

9 

03 

2.71 

22 

2.71 

15.68 

6 

3 

20.8     " 

9 

17 

2.75 

24 

2.75 

15.91 

6 

4 

20.7     " 

9 

27 

2.78 

25 

2.78 

16.08 

6. 

5 

20.7     " 

9 

42 

2.83 

27 

2.83 

16.3s 

6. 

6 

20.6     " 

9 

52 

2.86 

29 

2.86 

16.53 

6. 

7 

20.5     " 

9 

62 

2.87 

30 

2.87 

16.66 

6. 

8 

20.5     " 

9- 

76 

2-93 

32 

2.93 

16.94 

6. 

9 

20.S     " 

9- 

90 

2.97 

34 

2.97 

17.18 

Thus  in  determining  the  minimum  standards  of 
relief,  calculate  the  number  of  units  in  the  family,  take 
the  corresponding  amount  showing  the  total  expense 
exclusive  of  rent,  and  add  the  rent  paid  by  the  family 
per  week. 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  207 

In  Cincinnati,  the  monthly  rent  ranges  from  three 
dollars  and  a  half  to  four  dollars  a  room  and  the  number 
of  rooms  to  each  family  is  usually  conditioned  by  the 
number  of  individuals — usually  from  two  to  three 
individuals  to  a  room.  Thus,  a  family  consisting  of  a 
man,  wife,  and  three  children  could  be  housed  in  two 
rooms  at  the  rental  of  eight  dollars  a  month.  Naturally, 
in  cases  of  tuberculosis  or  other  sickness,  requiring 
separate  rooms  for  the  patient,  the  rental  will  be  corre- 
spondingly higher. 

The  allowance  for  clothing  in  dependent  f amiles  is  less 
certain,  for  much  is  supplemented  by  secondhand  cloth- 
ing, usually  given  by  the  organization.  In  this  respect, 
however,  we  are  safe  to  assume  that  the  minimum 
given  by  the  New  York  investigation  into  standards  of 
homes  could  be  taken  as  a  guide.  The  same  probably 
would  be  the  case  in  regard  to  incidental  expenses,  fuel, 
light,  car  fare,  and  so  on.  In  this  way,  the  necessary 
average  amount  required  in  Cincinnati  by  a  family 
consisting  of  a  man,  wife,  and  three  children  below 
working  age  would  be  roughly  estimated  at  one  dollar 
and  eighty  cents  a  day,  distributed  as  follows : 

Per  cent       Amount 


Rent 47 

Food 14 

Clothing 18 

Fuel  and  Light 6 

Miscellaneous 13 


854 
266 

108 


243 
Total 100 .0    $1 .  804 


2o8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

There  will  be  considerable  variations  from  this 
standard,  but  only  in  exceptional  cases  will  these  va- 
riations be  great  without  indicating  an  abnormal  situ- 
ation. 

D.  Standards  of  Relief 

No  organization  can  afford  to  claim  that  it. dispenses 
adequate  relief  unless  its  dependent  families  live  on  a 
standard  that  the  poorest  of  them  would  Hve  on  if  they 
were  independent.  The  great  difficulty  mth  relief 
societies  is  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  other  resources  that 
a  dependent  family  may  have.  How  about  the  income 
of  the  breadwinners  that  the  family  may  occasionally 
have,  or  is  there  any  other  agency  or  individual  that 
contributes  to  the  maintenance  of  the  same  family? 
These  are  perplexing  questions,  and  it  stands  to  reason 
that  the  poor  are  tempted  now  and  then  to  hide  the 
truth  and  disguise  the  real  situation.  Hence,  the  rehef 
agency  is  nolens  volens  put  on  guard  against  imposition, 
and,  as  a  rule,  starts  with  the  assumption  that  the 
applicant  could  get  along  without  the  material  help 
from  the  organization;  the  burden  of  the  proof  lies  with 
the  applicant. 

The  mistrust  of  the  applicant  on  the  part  of  the 
organization,  and  the  lack  of  truthfulness  vitiate 
standards  of  relief.  The  problem  reduces  itself  to  a 
mere  guessing  proposition,  not  to  how  much  the  appli- 
cant requires  to  live  on,  but  how  Httle  the  organization 
can  afford  to  give  to  escape  a  risk  of  being  imposed 
upon;  this  is  a  question  of  individual  adjustment.    It 


STANDARDS  OF  RELIEF  209 

depends  upon  the  agent  who  distributes  the  relief  as 
well  as  upon  the  persistency  of  the  applicants.  In  a 
large  measure  this  situation  is  responsible  for  the  un- 
kindly attitude  of  the  community  to  the  relief  agencies, 
which  are,  as  a  rule,  condemned  for  their  inquisitorial 
policies  prompted  by  necessity. 

The  only  remedy  for  this  unwholesome  condition  is  a 
more  thorough,  definite  and  frequent  investigation  as  to 
the  real  setting  of  the  dependent  family,  a  stronger  and 
more  systematic  connection  with  agencies  liable  to 
duplicate  efforts,  concentration  of  the  handling  of  a 
dependent  family  entirely  by  one  organization,  and  the 
popularization  of  the  work  thus  conducted,  enHsting 
the  co-operation  of  the  entire  community  and  the 
interest  of  individuals  willing  and  ready  to  supply  the 
necessary  information  as  to  the  status  of  the  family  in 
question. 

The  spread  of  the  confidential  exchange,  in  the  differ- 
ent cities,  development  of  personal  service,  federation 
of  different  charities,  making  possible  a  central  adminis- 
tration of  all  kinds  of  relief,  and  last,  but  not  least,  the 
broader  view  that  the  family  compelled  to  apply  for 
charity  should  be  helped  adequately,  are  all  signs  of  a 
better  solution  of  the  relief  problem. 

Chapter  Thirteen.    Standards  of  Relief 
Questions 

1.  Discuss  the  reasons  for  obtaining  a  definite  standard  for 
relief. 

2.  State  the  variation  in  standards  in  different  cities. 


2IO  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

3.  Why  can  a  uniform  standard  not  be  applied  to  all  cases? 

4.  Describe  the  study  of  standards  of  living  in  Cincinnati. 

5.  State  the  difficulties  in  getting  a  standard  of  rehef,  from 
the  standard  of  living. 

6.  State  the  possible  ways  to  overcome  these  difficulties. 


XIV 
EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS 

A.  The  Rise  of  Jewish  Social  Organizations 

While  the  Jews  of  the  United  States  have  always 
shared  with  the  rest  of  the  population  political  and 
economic  equality,  and  have  had  no  difficulty  in  enter- 
ing into  the  social  atmosphere  of  the  community  in 
general,  there  seems  to  be  a  demand  for  special  social 
organizations.  As  early  as  1769,  a  social  club  was 
started  in  New  York  City,  and  similar  organizations 
were  founded  in  many  other  sections  of  the  country. 
American  Jews  have  also  been  especially  given  to  the 
forming  of  secret  orders.  The  latter  have  had  primarily 
an  educational  and  charitable  purpose,  but  have  also 
had  much  social  influence  and  tended  powerfully  toward 
the  continued  association  of  Jews  with  one  another, 
when  the  hold  of  the  synagogue  upon  them  had  relaxed. 
Thus,  the  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith  was  or- 
ganized in  1843  for  the  purpose  of  instilling  the  princi- 
ples of  morality  among  the  followers  of  the  Mosaic 
faith,  inculcating  the  spirit  of  charity,  benevolence,  and 
brotherly  love.  A  large  number  of  other  secret  societies 
were  established  later,  as  the  Free  Sons  of  Israel,  in 
1849  s-i^d  the  B'rith  Abraham  in  1859. 


212  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

I.  Young  Men^s  Hebrew  Associations 
The  spread  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Associations 
in  the  United  States,  beginning  in  1850,  which  was  an 
outgrowth  of  a  movement  in  England,  and  in  the  be- 
ginning strictly  Umited  in  its  membership  to  adherents 
of  evangelical  churches,  gave  rise  to  similar  institu- 
tions connected  with  other  faiths.  In  1874,  the  first 
Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association  was  organized  in 
New  York,  for  the  mental,  moral,  social,  and  physical 
development  of  young  men  as  its  aim.  This  is  the 
parent  institution  of  similar  organizations  that  have 
been  estabhshed  throughout  the  United  States.  In 
many  instances,  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Associations 
functioned  in  connection  with  the  various  congrega- 
tions while  in  others  they  represented  independent 
activities  in  most  cases  very  much  like  those  of 
Y.  M.  C.  A's. 

With  the  influx  of  Russian  immigration,  the  in- 
terest in  these  particular  institutions  was  considerably 
abated.  New  conditions  arose  requiring  an  intense 
public  devotion  to  new  problems.  The  Y.  M.  H.  A's 
in  many  instances  gave  way  to  a  new  type  of  an  educa- 
tional agency,  primarily  introduced  to  serve  the  needs 
of  the  newly  arrived  immigrants.  Thus,  in  1891,  the 
Y.  M.  H.  A.  of  New  York  joined  a  new  movement  and 
for  a  time  became  a  part  of  a  new  institution,  the 
Hebrew  Institute.  Similar  transformations  took  place 
in  other  cities,  and  for  a  time,  the  Y.  M.  H.  A.  move- 
ment was,  practically  speaking,  at  a  standstill. 

In  late  years,  however,  the  needs  of  the  young 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     213 

men  and  women  became  quite  pressing,  and  a  revival 
of  the  Y.  M.  H.  A's  again  sweeps  the  entire  country. 
In  an  article  entitled,  "The  Timely  Advent  of  the 
Y.  M.  H.  A.  Movement,"  Mr.  B.  Palitz  gives  the 
imderlying  motives  of  this  new  awakening. 

"The  synagogue  faintly  rings  its  parish  bells  for  the 
flock  of  little  ones  to  come  and  be  formally  instructed 
in  the  'ancient'  religion,  but  it  has  never  been  so  in- 
different to  the  needs  of  reaching  the  older  boy  as  it 
is  at  the  present  time;  never  so  utterly  stripped  of  ap- 
plication and  authority  as  it  is  in  this  age.  It  is  no 
longer  the  nesting  place  to  keep  the  spiritual  life  of 
the  young  warm  and  their  minds  alert  against  dangers 
and  temptations  that  lure  them  from  without. 

"For  such  a  disintegrated  state  in  the  organic  struc- 
ture of  our  present-day  Jewry,  what  remedies  are 
proposed?  What  substitutes  for  the  old  social  guidance 
and  spiritual  shelter  exist?  What  other  methods  are 
employed  to  meet  the  new  needs? 

"The  formation  of  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Associa- 
tions throughout  the  country  may  be  heralded  as  the 
coming  of  a  new  and  practical  agency  to  grapple  with 
these  vital  questions.  The  value  of  the  work  of  these 
associations  in  directing  good  morals,  promoting 
physical  health,  and  infusing  a  clear  social  vision  into 
the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  Jewish  young  men,  has 
caught  the  eye  of  our  social  workers.  About  one  hun- 
dred associations,  with  a  membership  of  about  twenty 
thousand,  are  in  actual  existence,  and  new  organiza- 
tions are  formed  day  by  day. 


214  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

"The  time  seems  to  be  ripe  for  the  associations  to 
raise  a  national  structure,  with  a  set  of  uniform  and 
definite  principles  and  aims  laid  down,  and  thus  in- 
crease the  strength  of  every  individual  association, 
cause  it  to  emerge  from  the  state  of  a  separate  spirit, 
and  cause  it  to  grow  into  more  effectiveness. 

"The  existing  associations,  the  pioneers,  can  no 
longer  afford  to  coj^ifine  themselves  to  the  shepherding 
of  their  own  flocks,  but  must  invade  the  entire  camp 
of  American  Israel,  and  free  the  captive  youth  from 
confusion  and  waste."  ^ 

In  19 13,  a  National  Organization  of  Young  Men's 
Hebrew  and  kindred  Associations  was  effected  in  New 
York  City.  Its  purpose  is  to  promote  the  religious, 
intellectual,  physical,  and  social  development  and  well- 
being  of  Jewish  young  men  and  women,  and  to  that 
end  to  stimulate  the  organization  in  the  several  States 
and  the  Dominion  of  Canada  of  Young  Men's  Hebrew 
Associations,  to  assist,  advise,  and  encourage  such  as- 
sociations when  formed;  to  further  the  correlation  of 
their  activities  and  the  mutual  interchange  of  the  ad- 
vantages which  they  afford  and  to  co-operate  with 
other  corporations  or  associations  conducted  under 
Jewish  auspices. 

The  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association  should  not 
be  confused  with  a  settlement  or  a  neighborhood  house. 
It  is  not  intended  to  attract  inhabitants  of  a  certain 
vicinity  only,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  supposed 

1 "  Timely  Advent  of  Y.  M.  H.  A.,»  B.  Palitz,  "  Jewish  Charities," 
Vol.  II,  No.  7. 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     215 

to  appeal  to  young  men  primarily.  The  membership 
idea  of  a  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association,  excludes 
the  patronizing  attitude,  so  much  in  vogue  in  the 
settlements;  it  removes  it  from  every  suspicion  of 
being  an  agency  of  philanthropic  endeavor,  and  the 
idea  of  uplifting  the  constituency  through  the  in- 
fluences of  the  better  class,  is  in  this  case  rather 
negative. 

The  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association  should  be 
considered  as  an  institution  where  young  men  can 
get  educational  advantages,  be  it  physical  culture, 
science,  literature,  and  so  on,  which  they  want  but 
cannot  get  elsewhere  with  the  same  facility.  It  should 
present  social  advantages  which  will  attract  young 
men  and  make  them  feel  the  advantages  of  joining 
the  membership.  In  other  words,  the  Young  Men's 
Hebrew  Associations  should  be  both  a  school  and  a 
club  house  for  Jewish  young  men  of  the  city. 

2.  Religious  Educational  Agencies 

While  religious  instruction  is  a  matter  of  private 
concern  and  is,  in  its  narrower  meaning,  not  a  subject 
of  social  service,  still,  inasmuch  as  it  refers  to  the 
masses  and  answers  an  existing  need,  it  is  a  legitimate 
topic  for  our  consideration.  In  the  beginning  of  social 
service  activities  among  the  Jews,  the  Free  Congre- 
gational School  and  the  Sabbath  Schools  were  the 
only  types  of  educational  institutions  where  the  chil- 
dren of  the  poor  could  receive  instruction  free.  Some 
of  the  earliest  Jewish  schools  in  this  country  supplied 


2i6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

at  the  same  time  a  secular  education.  The  first  Sab- 
bath School  in  the  United  States  was  founded  in  1838 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  by  Rebecca  Graetz.  This 
was  followed  by  a  number  of  similar  schools,  estab- 
lished in  different  cities.  The  large  influx  of  Russian 
Jews  with  their  intense  desire  to  give  a  thorough  Jewish 
training  to  their  children,  made  the  problem  more 
complicated,  not  only  in  extent,  but  also  by  the  new- 
comer's introduction  of  new  types  of  schools  and  stand- 
ards of  instruction.  In  Russia,  the  education  of  the 
children  was  the  main  duty  of  the  parents,  for  poor 
as  the  Russian  Jews  were,  they  seldom  considered  them- 
selves poor  enough  to  forego  the  privilege  of  paying 
for  the  religious  instruction  of  their  children.  "Though 
you  have  to  secure  the  means  by  begging,  be  sure  to 
provide  the  instruction  of  your  children  in  the  Torah  " 
is  a  dying  father's  admonition  to  his  children.  Most 
of  the  children  paid  their  tuition  to  the  Cheder, — the 
private  school, — and  only  the  poorest  of  the  poor 
availed  themselves  of  the  free  school,  the  Talmud 
Torah.  With  change  of  environment,  the  situation 
received  a  different  aspect.  The  Russian  Jews  were 
compelled  by  necessity  to  reduce  the  standards  of 
rehgious  education.  There  was  neither  time  nor  in- 
clination of  the  children  to  spend  long  hours  in  the 
study  of  the  Tahnud.  It  is  only  the  elementary  Cheder 
and  the  Talmud  Torah  that  could  be  transplanted  to 
the  new  surroundings,  and  even  this  with  considerable 
modification.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  about 
one  thousand  Chederim  in  this  country,  half  of  them 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     217 

in  New  York  City,  with  an  annual  budget  of  six  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars. 

The  Talmud  Torah  became  the  most  popular  insti- 
tution. The  first  Talmud  Torah  in  New  York  City 
was  founded  in  the  early  eighties.  Originally  it  was 
designed  to  accommodate  the  poor  children  who  could 
not  pay,  and  in  a  large  measure  remained  a  charitable 
enterprise. 

In  the  analysis  of  the  census  of  Jewish  institutions, 
pubHshed  in  1908  in  the  "  American  Jewish  Year  Book," 
Dr.  S.  Benderly  ^  presents  the  following  facts:  There 
were  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  Sunday  schools  with 
one  session  weekly;  ninety- two  congregational  schools 
with  two,  very  seldom  three,  sessions  a  week,  and 
two  hundred  and  thirty-six  daily  schools,  Talmud 
Torahs.  There  are,  according  to  Dr.  Benderly,  three 
hundred  and  sixty  thousand  Jewish  children  of  school 
age.  The  number  of  boys  taught  in  Cheder  (for  which 
no  data  were  available)  including  those  who  received 
private  instruction,  was  computed  roughly  by  Dr. 
Benderly  to  be  forty  thousand.  The  total  number  of 
children  who  received  Jewish  rehgious  instruction  in 
1908  amounted  altogether  to  about  one  hundred 
thousand,  so  that  fully  two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand, 
among  them  probably  one  hundred  and  seventy  thou- 
sand girls,  were  left  without  any  rehgious  instruction. 

Since  then,  considerable  progress  has  been  made, 
not  only  in  promoting  the  establishment  of  new  schools, 

^  "Jewish  Education  in  America,"  Dr.  S.  Benderly.  "  Jewish  Ex- 
ponent," January  7,  1908. 


2i8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

but  also  in  improving  and  regulating  the  instruction. 
Through  the  munificence  of  Mr.  Jacob  H.  Schiff,  the 
Teachers'  Institute  of  the  Jewish  Theological  Seminary 
and  a  similar  institution  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Hebrew  Union  College  were  established.  In  New 
York,  especially  laudable  effort  has  been  made  to  help 
out  the  situation. 

3.  The  Bureau  of  Education  of  the  Jewish  Community 
of  New  York  City 

The  Jewish  Community  of  New  York  (Kehillah) 
made  an  investigation  in  1909  into  the  status  of  reli- 
gious education  of  that  city.  It  was  found  that  out 
of  the  entire  Jewish  school  population,  computed  to 
be  one  hundred  and  seventy  thousand,  only  forty-one 
thousand  four  hundred  and  four  were  taught  in  some 
kind  of  Jewish  educational  institution.  Making  al- 
lowances for  those  taught  at  home  privately,  two- 
thirds  were  left  without  a  knowledge  of  Judaism  and 
its  religious  institutions.  The  Kehillah  succeeded  in 
obtaining  generous  donations  for  improving  and  pro- 
moting rehgious  primary  education  in  New  York  City. 
Dr.  S.  Benderly,  a  Jemsh  pedagogue  of  Baltimore,  was 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  Bureau  of  Education,  a  depart- 
ment of  the  Kehillah,  formally  opened  in  19 10.  It  is 
quite  interesting  to  observe  that  one  of  the  problems 
of  the  Bureau  is  to  change  the  status  of  the  existing 
Talmud  Torahs  from  charity  schools  to  self-supporting 
institutions,  and  the  first  attempt  in  this  direction  is 
quite  interesting.    Prior  to  the  advent  of  the  Bureau 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     219 

six  of  the  Talmud  Torahs  which  co-operate  with  the 
Bureau,  collected  twenty  thousand  one  hundred  seven 
dollars  and  eleven  cents  in  tuition  fees  during  the 
school  year  1910-11.  The  same  institutions  in  which 
the  number  of  children  had  increased  only  two  per 
cent  collected  thirty-five  thousand  nine  hundred  sixty- 
two  dollars  and  eighty  cents  through  the  medium  of 
the  Bureau  during  the  last  school  year  (1912-13),  an 
increase  of  seventy-nine  per  cent. 

An  agreement  reached  with  the  Talmud  Torahs 
affiliated  with  the  Bureau  of  Education  of  the  New 
York  Kehillah  contains  an  interesting  clause  as  to  free 
tuition: 

"The  Bureau  of  Education  agrees  to  pay  a  Talmud 
Torah  affiliated  with  it,  one  dollar  and  twenty-five 
cents  for  every  child  taught  in  the  Talmud  Torah  for 
one  month  free  of  charge,  provided  that  the  number  of 
such  children  does  not  exceed  one-third  of  the  total 
attendance.  The  other  two- thirds  of  the  children  at- 
tending are  to  be  divided  into  two  parts,  one-half  of 
the  children  are  to  pay  the  full  tuition  fee,  one  dollar 
and  twenty-five  cents  per  month,  and  the  other  half 
pay  half  of  the  tuition  fee,  sixty-five  cents  per  month.* 

B.  Sabbath  Schools 

In  regard  to  free  sabbath  schools,  considerable  im- 
provement has  been  achieved  through  the  work  of 
the  Synagogue  and  School  Extension  Department  of 

1  "Aims  and  Activities  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  Jewish 
Community,"  by  Dr.  S.  Benderly,  New  York,  191 2. 


220  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congregations,  which, 
besides  granting  subventions  to  schools  in  the  needy 
neighborhoods,  conducts  a  department  for  the  pro- 
motion of  modern  methods,  pubhshing  text-books  and 
guides  for  teaching.  The  National  Council  of  Jewish 
Women  and  the  Jewish  Chautauqua  are  also  contribut- 
ing to  the  welfare  of  the  Jewish  sabbath  schools  in  this 
country. 

While  there  may  be  difference  in  opinion  as  to  the 
character  of  religious  instruction  that  the  children 
ought  to  receive,  great  effort  is  made  to  improve  the 
sanitation  and  housing  conditions  of  the  schools,  and 
also  to  regulate  the  hours  of  instruction  and  discipHne 
till  late  one  of  the  neglected  phases  of  Jewish  activity. 
While  Reform  Jews,  under  the  leadership  of  their 
Rabbis  are  endeavoring  to  attract  the  children  of  the 
poorer  classes  to  sabbath  school,  the  Orthodox  con- 
stituency is  still  anxious  to  have  their  children  in  the 
Cheders  and  Talmud  Torahs,  where  they  receive  in- 
struction more  or  less  similar  to  that  which  the  parents 
received  in  the  old  country.  ^ 

I.  Radical  National  Schools 

Lately  a  new  type  of  Jewish  schools  is  being  de- 
veloped through  the  initiative  of  the  NationaHstic 
wing  of  the  radicals.  The  latter  realizing  the  danger 
that  comes  from  widem'ng  the  breach  between  the  old 
and  the  new,  and  anxious  to  inculcate  in  the  children 

1 "  The  Jewish  Sunday  School  Movement  in  the  U.  S.,"  Julian 
Richman,  "  Jewish  Quarterly  Review,"  July,  1900. 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     221 

a  feeling  of  national  unity,  insists  that  the  Yiddish 
language  should  be  taught  and  Jewish  national  ideals 
implanted  in  them  at  a  very  early  age.  Hence,  the 
rise  of  many  Jewish  schools  in  large  cities,  especially 
in  New  York,  where  Yiddish  is  the  language  and  where 
no  special  religious  instruction  is  included  in  the  cur- 
riculum. 

2.  Religions  Instruction  and  Social  Service  Agencies 

While  the  social  worker  is  relieved  from  the  necessity 
of  deciding  which  type  of  school  should  be  encouraged, 
nevertheless,  it  is  within  the  realm  of  his  duty  to  con- 
tribute his  part  in  promoting  modem  methods  for  the 
care  of  the  children,  utilizing  the  schools  as  social 
factors  and  combating  the  low  standards  of  existing 
schools  of  different  types.  This  is  the  reason  why  in 
many  instances,  the  charities  and  other  philanthropic 
institutions  provide  housing  facilities  for  religious 
instruction,  and  frequently  maintain  mthin  the  same 
walls  both  Orthodox  and  Reform  type  of  schools.  The 
widespread  tendency  among  Orthodox  Jews  for  religious 
instruction  suggests  the  possibility  of  utilizing  the 
Talmud  Torah  as  a  center  of  different  social  activities. 

Mr.  Louis  Levin,  of  Baltimore,  as  early  as  1910,  in 
an  article  entitled  "  Suggestions  for  Jewish  Settlement 
Work"  says: 

"Given  a  Talmud  Torah,  with  its  Jewish  popula- 
tion from  one  hundred  to  one  thousand,  why  should  it 
not  be  possible  to  make  it  also  the  center  of  the  best 
activities  of  the  settlement  house?    Has  it  not  gradu- 


222  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

ates  and  alumni,  organizable  into  clubs  or  classes  for 
further  improvement?  Cannot  the  Jewish  year,  rich 
in  incident,  in  story,  in  pathos,  in  joy,  be  used  to  give 
point  to  the  teachings  of  national,  religious,  and  domes- 
tic loyalty,  which  is  now  being  sought  in  many  other 
ways?  Would  not  parents  and  teachers  find  it  easy  to 
sympathize  with  and  participate  in  such  settlement 
work?" 

Two  years  later,  Mr.  Jacob  Billikopf  of  Kansas  City 
informed  the  pubHc  that  as  a  result  of  this  suggestion 
he  has  taken  a  personal  interest  in  the  formation  of  a 
Talmud  Torah,  financed  largely  by  the  Russian  Jewish 
element  of  the  community.^  Realizing  that  such  work 
forms  an  integral  part  of  the  Jewish  settlement,  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  the  Institute  cordially  extended 
to  the  Talmud  Torah  the  privilege  of  maintaining  a 
school  in  its  main  institute.  On  the  other  hand,  in 
many  places,  the  Talmud  Torah  extends  its  activities 
along  general  settlement  lines.  In  Baltimore,  the 
Talmud  Torah  conducts  a  library,  and  owns  a  printing 
press;  the  children  are  organized  into  clubs;  entertain- 
ments and  lectures  for  adults  are  given,  etc. 

3.  Religious  Services 

Outside  of  religious  instruction,  the  general  social 
service  agencies,  and  especially  the  settlement  partici- 
pate also  in  providing  facilities  for  religious  services 
in  the  congested  districts.  Thus,  a  cursory  survey  of 
the  situation  in  191 2  brought  out  the  following  facts: 
1 "  Jewish  Charities,"  February,  1912. 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     223 

It  indicated  that  there  is  a  great  demand  for  rehgious 
services  in  Jewish  settlements,  especially  during  the 
New  Year  holidays.  Buffalo  and  Pittsburg  are  the 
only  cities  that  report  adequate  provision  for  Schules, 
and  consequently  no  necessity  for  conducting  services 
at  the  Institute.  Maxwell  Settlement,  of  Chicago,  the 
Jewish  Educational  Alliance  of  Baltimore,  and  many 
others  regret  that  they  lack  facilities  for  arranging 
synagogues.  The  New  York  Educational  Alliance 
conducts  nine  synagogues  during  the  Holy  Days,  ac- 
commodating twenty-five  thousand  persons,  and,  judg- 
ing by  the  applications  for  seats,  it  probably  could  fill 
two  or  three  times  as  many  more.  One  of  these  syna- 
gogues, known  as  the  People's  Synagogue,  which  is 
maintained  throughout  the  year,  has  a  membership  of 
about  six  hundred,  each  member  contributing  from 
one  to  three  dollars  per  annum.  The  purchase  of 
seats  in  this  synagogue  for  the  Holy  Days  carries  with 
it  the  privilege  of  membership  for  the  entire  year.  The 
other  eight  synagogues  are  special  organizations  ar- 
ranged for  Rosh  Hashona  and  Yom  Kippur  only.  In 
191 1  it  was  decided  to  charge  the  nominal  sum  of  ten 
cents  for  each  ticket  issued. 

The  Emanu-El  Brotherhood  of  New  York  conducts 
services  for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  people,  does 
not  charge  any  dues,  and  as  there  is  no  extra  expense, 
the  charge  is  nominal. 

The  Council  Educational  Alliance  of  Cleveland  con- 
ducts religious  services  during  the  Holy  Days,  ac- 
commodating six  hundred  and  fifty  people.    Its  syna- 


224  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

gogue  is  under  direct  supervision  of  the  head  worker 
of  the  settlement. 

The  Chicago  Hebrew  Institute  has  changed  its 
poUcy  in  connection  with  its  People's  Synagogue.  It 
is  now  under  the  auspices  of  a  recently  formed,  special 
organization,  subject,  however,  to  the  rules  and  regula- 
tions of  the  Hebrew  Institute. 

The  Educational  Alliance  of  St.  Louis  rents  its  hall 
to  a  society  with  which  it  has  an  arrangement  to  charge 
fifty  cents  for  the  majority  of  the  tickets,  and  one 
dollar  for  the  most  favorable  seats.  The  capacity  of 
the  hall  is  about  four  hundred. 

The  Detroit  Hebrew  Institute  also  rents  its  hall  for 
holida}^  services,  for  which  it  receives  seventy-five  dollars. 

The  Jewish  Educational  Alliance  of  Atlanta,  and  the 
Cincinnati  Jewish  Settlement  report  similar  arrange- 
ments. 

An  interesting  situation  seems  to  exist  in  Kansas 
City.  The  superintendent  of  the  Jewish  Educational 
Institute  of  that  city  writes  that  during  the  past  three 
years,  religious  services  have  been  conducted  in  the 
Institute,  under  the  auspices  of  a  struggling  congrega- 
tion. They  have  generally  rented  the  auditorium  for 
twenty-five  dollars  and  have  been  given  the  privilege  to 
furnish  free  tickets  to  such  people  as,  in  their  judgment, 
were  in  poor  circmnstances.  The  auditorium  accom- 
modates comfortably  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 
persons,  but  they  have  been  obliged  in  the  past  to 
crowd  in  as  many  as  four  hundred  and  fifty  to  five  hun- 
dred men,  women,  and  children.    The  services  have 


EDUCATIONAL  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS     225 

been  carried  on  in  a  truly  orthodox  style,  and  while  the 
decorum  has  been  by  no  means  perfect,  it  has  been  far 
better  than  that  which  prevailed  in  the  great  majority 
of  similar  organizations.  During  the  coming  holidays, 
as  in  the  past,  they  will  have  two  officers  in  plain  clothes 
stationed  at  the  front  door  to  maintain  discipline  and 
decorum.  What  appeals  to  one  particularly,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  services  in  the  Kansas  City  Institute  is 
that  the  women  are  given  an  opportunity  to  rest,  and 
to  give  their  children  proper  care.  The  playground,  in 
particular,  is  of  great  service  to  the  little  ones.  Taking 
into  consideration  that  this  same  congregation  used  to 
meet  for  years  and  years  in  a  hall  connected  with  a  no- 
torious beer  garden,  and  that  frequent  fights  resulted 
there,  this  particular  feature  of  the  work  is  deemed  of 
considerable  importance,  even  though,  thus  far,  it  has 
been  impossible  to  introduce  as  good  a  system  as  desired. 

Chapter  Fourteen.     Educational  and  Social 

Organization 

Questions 

1.  What  were  the  first  Jewish  social  organizations  in  the 
United  States? 

2.  Describe  the  origin  and  purposes  of  the  Y.  M.  H.  A. 

3.  What  are  the  various  types  of  Jewish  religious  schools? 

4.  Discuss  the  Talmud  Torah  situation. 

5.  What  are  the  institutions  for  training  of  rabbi-teachers? 

6.  What  are  the  functions  of  the  Bureau  of  Education  of  the 
Jewish  Community  of  New  York? 

7.  What  are  the  National  Radical  Schools? 

8.  Discuss  the  attitude  of  the  Jewish  social  worker  toward 
religious  education  of  the  masses. 


XV 

THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS 

In  the  beginning  of  the  eighties,  American  Jewry  was 
considerably  disturbed  by  the  large  and  sudden  influx  of 
Jewish  immigrants  from  Russia,  who  landed  and  pro- 
posed to  remain  in  New  York  City.  While  the  new- 
comers were  heartily  welcomed  by  their  co-religionists, 
who  spared  no  efforts  to  lighten  their  hardships  and  were 
only  too  ready  to  help  them  to  get  a  footing  in  the 
newly  adopted  country,  still,  a  serious  problem  was 
drawing  upon  those  who  were  their  predecessors,  a 
problem  as  to  the  future  of  this  new  irmnigrant  group, 
in  number,  as  well  as  in  general  make  up,  presenting  a 
new  experience.  The  economic  motive,  the  main  reason 
for  immigration  in  general,  did  not  play  an  important 
part  with  these  newcomers.  These  new  immigrants 
came  here  primarily  on  accoimt  of  religious  and  political 
persecution  which  they  suffered  at  home.  Uncouth  and 
unpleasant  in  their  appearance  though  picturesque, 
foreign  in  speech  and  manners,  different  even  in  their 
everyday  religious  practices,  they  were  complete  stran- 
gers to  those  who  befriended  them.  It  was  natural  that 
they  should  settle  in  separate  districts,  and  form 
congested  neighborhoods,  which  since  have  become 
popularly  known  as  the  Jewish  Ghettos  of  American 
cities. 

226 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  227 

Besides  the  physical  disadvantages,  the  Ghetto 
spelled  isolation  of  the  immigrant  from  all  the  blessings 
of  American  hfe.  Here  was  no  urgent  need  to  learn 
English,  no  demand  for  acquiring  new  customs,  no 
necessity  for  getting  acquainted  with  the  duties  of 
American  citizenship.  The  direct  environment,  though 
differing  from  that  in  which  the  immigrant  lived  in  the 
old  country,  was  anything  but  American,  and  while  the 
new  conditions  were  crushing  the  immigrant,  sapping 
him  of  all  his  vital  forces,  it  apparently  did  not  call 
forth  any  effort  on  his  part  toward  a  change,  towards 
adaptation  to  the  new  conditions  in  a  way  that  would 
help  him  and  prepare  him  for  the  larger  field  of  Ameri- 
can life. 

A.  The  Palace  of  Immigrants 

One  of  the  first  institutions  estabhshed  for  this  pur- 
pose was  the  Hebrew  Institute  of  New  York  in  1889, 
which  became  known  as  "The  Palace  of  Immigrants." 
The  Hebrew  Institute,  as  stated  before,  was  an  out- 
growth of  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association.  It 
also  comprised  activities  of  the  Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund 
and  the  Grace  Aguilar  Library.  The  money  for  the 
erection  of  the  Hebrew  Institute  was  realized  partly 
from  a  public  fair  in  1889.  Anti-Sectarianism,  as  well 
as  reasons  affecting  the  support  of  the  institution,  led 
to  the  change  of  the  name  of  the  Hebrew  Institute  into 
the  Educational  Alliance  in  1893.  The  scope  of  the 
Educational  Alliance,  as  stated  in  the  charter,  "shall  be 
of  an  Americanizing,  educational,  social  and  humaniz- 


228  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

ing  character — for  the  moral  and  intellectual  improve- 
ment of  the  inhabitants  of  the  East  Side."  In  the 
annual  report  of  1897,  Isidor  Straus  says:  "At  first 
blush  our  work  may  seem  sectarian;  it  is  nothing  of  that 
sort.  It  is  educational,  humanitarian,  philanthropic 
and  patriotic  in  the  broadest  sense.  It  is  true  that  we 
have  reached  chiefly  Jews,  but  this  is  due  to  the  fact 
that  the  neighborhood  in  which  the  Alliance  is  situated 
is  inhabited  principally  by  Jews.  The  Hbrary,  the 
reading  room,  the  gymnasium,  and  the  entertainments 
of  every  sort,  are  accessible  to  any  and  aU  who  choose  to 
avail  themselves  of  them." 

B.  Americanization 

The  ke3mote  of  all  the  activities  of  the  Educational 
Alliance  was  the  Americanization  of  the  newcomer.  In 
the  beginning,  when  the  pubHc  schools  had  practically 
nothing  in  their  program  specially  adapted  for  the 
immigrants,  the  Educational  Alliance  assumed  the  en- 
tire burden. 

It  was  evident  that  if  the  immigrant  was  to  become 
an  asset,  some  strenuous  measures  had  to  be  taken, 
with  the  purpose  of  coping  with  the  situation  and  en- 
countering the  influences  that  were  fostering  and  pro- 
moting the  Ghetto  Spirit.  Besides  providing  faciUties 
for  teaching  the  immigrants  English,  special  methods 
were  used  for  their  rapid  Americanization.  All  possible 
means  were  utilized  to  impress  the  immigrant  with  the 
glory  of  his  newly  adopted  country;  he  was  made  to 
laud  the  American  flag,  to  sing  national  songs,  demon- 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  229 

stratively  to  celebrate  national  holidays  and  to  express 
his  allegiance  to  the  land  that  offered  a  haven  to  the 
persecuted  Jews  from  Russia. 

Undoubtedly,  these  efforts  were  not  in  vain,  but  they 
did  not  appeal  to  the  great  mass  of  the  immigrants; 
these  external  manifestations  of  American  patriotism, 
artificial,  superimposed,  and  to  a  certain  degree  com- 
pulsory, did  not  find  a  respondent  chord  in  the  hearts 
of  many — the  Jewish  immigrants  still  clung  to  their 
old  traditions,  language,  and  ideas.  The  attempt  to 
exclude  the  Yiddish  language  from  the  institutions 
where  Americanization  was  the  keynote,  did  not  con- 
tribute to  the  popularity  of  these  educational  agencies. 
Futile  also  were  the  endeavors  to  teach  the  foreigners 
manners  and  etiquette  through  the  medium  of  printed 
signs  and  oral  instructions.  The  Ghetto  continued  its 
own  course. 

C.  Ghetto  Forces 

The  Jewish  press  and  the  Jewish  theater  were  called 
into  existence.  In  New  York  City  a  large  Sociahst 
group  was  formed ;  Yiddish  speaking  trade  unions  were 
organized,  Hebrew  schools,  congregations,  and  benevo- 
lent societies  were  started  in  great  numbers.  The 
Ghetto  was  now  a  fact, — a  living  organism. 

The  American  Jewry  could  not  help  seeing  that  the 
Russian  immigrant  was  not  a  "  tabula  rasa  " ;  he  brought 
with  him  a  deep-rooted  potential  possibility  of  his  own 
culture  which  could  not  be  ignored,  could  not  be  stifled 
nor  killed.    The  Yiddish  language  was  the  expression  of 


230  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

his  soul — he  lived  in  it  and  would  not  give  it  up  without 
a  struggle. 

Be  it  said  to  the  credit  of  the  institutions  of  the 
American  Jewry,  as  soon  as  the  observation  was  made 
its  methods  were  immediately  changed.  Now  the 
Yiddish  language  became  the  vehicle  of  Americaniza- 
tion; Jewish  papers  and  books  were  introduced  in  the 
libraries  and  reading  rooms,  lectures  in  Yiddish  were 
now  given,  Jewish  speaking  societies  were  permitted  to 
meet  within  the  walls  of  the  institutions,  where  only  a 
few  years  ago  they  were  considered  dangerous  to  the 
welfare  of  their  own  constituency.  It  became  a  recog- 
nized fact  that  the  Ghetto  itself  had  an  interest  and 
certain  legitimate  rights  in  the  planning  of  the  educa- 
tion it  was  to  receive.  The  activities  of  the  educational 
institutions  began  to  be  planned  accordingly. 

The  Educational  Alliance  rapidly  grew,  and  little  by 
little  became  the  center  of  the  East  Side  community. 
It  beamed  with  activity  and  reflected  the  real  life  of  the 
Ghetto.  The  radical  groups,  invading  every  avenue  of 
social  contact,  became  quite  evident  within  the  walls 
of  the  institution;  the  intensity  with  which  the  intel- 
lectuals availed  themselves  of  the  opportunities  was 
interpreted  as  misdirected  influence.  The  institution 
was  intended  for  the  masses,  and  a  certain  restraint  of 
higher  ideals  and  ambitions  was  to  be  encouraged. 

D.  A  Change  of  Policy 

The  directors  felt  that  while  the  Educational  Alliance 
was  actively  engaged  from  early  morning  until  late 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  231 

at  night,  the  East  Side  as  a  whole  did  not  show 
tangible  results  in  the  direction  that  the  influence  of 
the  AUiance  was  supposed  to  work.  The  problem  be- 
came complicated,  it  was  now  a  question  of  not  only 
how  to  provide  the  immigrant  with  proper  educational 
and  social  facilities,  but  also  how  to  protect  the  masses 
from  new  influences  that  seemed  to  permeate  the  en- 
tire Ghetto, — influences  that  were  supposed  to  be  en- 
tirely opposed  to  those  for  which  the  Educational 
Alliance  was  called  into  existence.  Socialism,  the 
spread  of  the  Yiddish  language,  a  disregard  for  the 
basic  standards  of  American  life,  an  aggressive  labor 
movement,  and  thousands  of  other  manifestations  of 
the  new  situation  produced  rather  an  uneasy  feeling 
among  those  who  were  in  the  lead  of  the  Educational 
Alliance. 

E.  David  Blaustein 

In  1898,  David  Blaustein  assumed  the  superin- 
tendency  of  the  institution.  David  Blaustein  was  a 
Russian  immigrant.  Bom  in  1866,  he  came  to  America 
in  1886  and  landed  in  Boston,  where  he  opened  a  mod- 
em Hebrew  school.  From  the  very  beginning  he  took 
an  active  part  in  communal  affairs.  Later  he  entered 
Harvard  as  a  special  student  in  Semitics,  and  received 
his  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree  in  1893.  From  1892  to 
1898  he  was  rabbi  of  the  Congregation  of  the  Sons  of 
Israel  and  David,  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 

The  Educational  Alliance  to  which  he  came  to  as- 
sume the  duties  of  head  worker  was  at  that  time  a 


232  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

living  institution.  The  East  Side  population  was 
earnestly  and  intensely  interested  in  its  different  ac- 
tivities. The  Alliance  was  the  real  educational  and 
social  center — no  one  could  deny  its  influence;  some 
thought  it  was  for  the  good,  others  for  the  bad,  but 
all  agreed  that  the  work  of  the  Alliance  counted  in  the 
life  of  the  Ghetto,  and  therefore  should  be  watched 
and  guarded,  not  so  much  as  to  its  efficiency  but  as 
to  its  policy  and  tendencies. 

The  change  of  administration  was  rather  sudden 
and  uncalled  for — the  resignation  of  a  man  that  New 
York  loved,  knew  and  trusted,  as  Isaac  Spectorsky 
the  predecessor  of  Blaustein  was,  and  the  appointment 
of  the  latter,  who  was  an  entire  stranger,  and  whose 
previous  experience  had  been  more  that  of  a  rabbi 
than  that  of  a  social  worker,  created  considerable 
criticism  among  the  leaders  of  the  East  Side.  The 
disgruntled  intellectuals  decided  to  assert  themselves 
by  blocking  the  progress  of  the  institution  and  pre- 
venting the  success  of  the  newcomer  who  was  brought 
to  New  York,  as  it  was  thought,  to  undo,  rather  than 
to  develop,  all  the  previous  efforts  of  the  Alliance  and 
change  the  policy  of  an  institution  with  which  the 
Ghetto  had  so  much  concern. 

Within  a  short  time,  Blaustein  became  a  figure  on 
the  East  Side.  He  joined  different  organizations,  par- 
ticipated in  the  different  movements,  was  present  at 
every  social  function  of  the  neighborhood.  This  idea 
of  utilizing  the  existing  movements  and  tendencies  in 
shaping  the  policies  of  an  educational  institution  was 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  233 

original  and  unique.  Blaustein  did  not  fall  into  a 
routine,  so  common  among  social  workers;  he  did  not 
copy  blindly  the  methods  of  similar  institutions;  he 
did  not  imitate  the  non- Jewish  agencies,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  endeavored  to  study  the  existing  needs  and 
tried  to  adjust  the  activities  of  the  Alliance  to  the  ac- 
tual demands  that  were  pressing.  He  formulated  the 
problem  first,  and  only  then  tried  to  solve  it  accord- 
ingly. From  the  very  first,  he  undertook  a  survey  of 
the  neighborhood.  Since  then  this  has  become  a  popu- 
lar method,  but  with  him  it  was  new,  and,  in  fact,  never 
received  due  consideration  by  his  supporters. 

F.  New  Conceptions 

He  soon  realized  that  the  East  Side  is  not  a  homo- 
geneous body,  and  he  also  learned,  to  his  great  con- 
cern, that  the  leaders  of  the  East  Side  were,  practically 
speaking,  indifferent  to  the  matters  pertaining  to  their 
immediate  neighbors.  They  were  busy  with  higher 
ideals;  they  were  engaged  in  the  strife  of  world-wide 
movements;  they  were  combating  each  other;  they  were 
divided  into  factions,  groups,  constantly  fighting,  con- 
stantly quarreling. 

In  the  midst  of  this  discord,  he  grappled  with  the 
problem  of  unity.  He  proposed  to  find  a  ground  where 
people  with  different  views  and  tendencies  could 
meet — he  proposed  to  make  the  Alliance  the  melting 
pot  of  ideals — he  wanted  the  orthodox  to  come  nearer 
to  the  reformers,  the  socialists  to  come  in  contact  with 
the  Zionists,  the  radicals  to  mingle  with  the  conserva- 


234  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tives.  He  saw  in  all  of  these  factions  a  potential  possi- 
bility for  the  betterment  of  the  Ghetto;  he  believed  in 
its  own  reclamation.  "In  combating  the  evil,  we  must 
utilize  the  good,  this  is  my  problem,"  he  used  to  say. 
He  did  not,  therefore,  prescribe  a  panacea  for  all  these 
evils;  he  did  not  claim  that  Americanization  or  Zionism 
was  the  only  remedy,  he  did  not  make  the  Alliance 
stand  for  one  or  the  other  specific  tendency,  but  tried 
to  introduce  educational  and  social  features  that  would 
exert  a  wholesome  influence  and  in  their  sum,  reach 
every  possible  group  of  the  entire  East  Side. 

G.  Opposition 

The  Educational  Alliance  of  New  York  is  a  proto- 
type of  a  large  number  of  similar  institutions  that  have 
sprung  up  all  over  the  country,  and  are  designated 
by  different  names;  Jewish  settlements,  neighborhood 
houses,  and  so  on. 

It  seems,  however,  that  as  a  rule  these  institutions 
did  not  strike  a  responsive  note  among  the  constituency 
whom  they  were  supposed  to  serve.  In  1904,  A.  H. 
Fromenson,  in  an  address  before  the  Conference  of 
Jewish  Charities  in  New  York,  severely  arraigned  the 
policies  of  the  Educational  Alliance,  and  stated  that 
this  institution  is  regarded  by  a  very  large  number  of 
East  Siders  with  absolute  antipathy,  and  by  another 
with  mistrust.  These  institutions  have  contributed 
practically  nothing  toward  the  solution  of  the  graver 
problems.  Jewish  delinquency  spread  on  the  East 
Side  with  great  rapidity;  it  was  evident  that  some- 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  235 

thing  must  be  done  to  save  the  situation.  Now,  reli- 
gious instruction,  Jewishness  became  the  keynote  of 
Jewish  educational  effort.  "The  Salvation  of  the 
Jew  in  the  past  was  his  religion,  and  whenever  he  has 
been  lacking  in  religion,  he  has  deteriorated."  * 

On  the  other  hand,  the  radical  element  in  the  East 
Side  objected  to  the  Educational  AUiance  on  different 
grounds.  In  1901,  a  new  institution  was  formed, 
known  as  the  Educational  League.  Its  purpose  was 
to  give  an  absolutely  free  platform,  permitting  the 
teaching  of  science,  without  any  restraint,  without 
censorship.  It  was  boldly  stated  that  the  organization 
was  effected  as  a  protest  against  the  "retrogressive" 
policy  of  the  Educational  Alliance.  The  opposition 
had  gained  considerable  strength,  when  the  president 
of  the  Educational  Alliance  gave  public  utterance  to 
the  fear  that  the  East  Side  was  threatening  to  be- 
come a  menace  to  the  Jews  of  the  country  at  large, 
and  that  special  effort  should  be  made  to  control  the 
negative  tendencies  of  the  Jewish  Ghetto.^ 

Blaustein  himself  felt  that  the  problem  now  was 
quite  different  from  the  one  he  had  expected  to  find. 
It  was  not  a  question  of  mere  Americanization.  It 
was  a  problem  of  how  to  breach  over  the  gulf  between 
the  parents  and  their  children.  "Reverence  for  par- 
ents used  to  be  looked  upon  as  the  foundation  for 

1  Proceedings  Third  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,  New 
York,  1904. 

2  "Eastern  and  Western  Education,"  Professor  Morris  Loeb, 
"  American  Hebrew,"  September,  1904. 


236  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

social  life,  and  a  thousand  pities  it  is  to  see  the  chil- 
dren of  immigrants  losing  it  through  getting  hold  of 
American  ideas  in  the  wrong  way."  The  patronizing 
attitude  of  the  Educational  Alliance  was  especially 
repulsive  to  the  neighborhood,  and  when  Blaustein 
left  his  post,  in  1908,  the  Educational  Alliance,  while 
still  very  popular  among  a  limited  group,  had  lost  its 
direct  contact  with  the  great  issues  affecting  the  East 
Side,  and  since  then  did  not  play  the  same  role  as  it 
had  in  the  social  movements  of  the  New  York  Ghetto. 

H.  Program  of  the  Educational  Alliance 

The  scope  of  the  activities  of  the  Educational  Al- 
liance as  given  for  the  year  19 13  is  interesting: 

School  of  Domestic  Art,  32  Classes.    Number  taught,  1,349. 

School  of  Domestic  Science,  15  Classes.    Number  taught,  623. 

School  of  Physical  Culture,  8  Classes.    Number  taught,  931. 

Day  Classes  in  EngHsh  for  Adult  Immigrants,  4  Classes. 
Number  taught,  538. 

Civil  Service  Classes,  3  Classes.    Number  taught,  117. 

Reading  Room,  Days  open,  360.  Average  daily  attendance, 
882. 

Lectures  on  American  History  and  Civics,  in  Yiddish,  every 
Saturday  evening.    Average  attendance,  700. 

Lectures  on  American  History  and  Civics,  in  English,  every 
Sunday  evening.    Average  attendance,  300. 

Telegraphy  Class.    Number  taught,  256. 

Legal  Aid  and  Desertion  Bureau.    Consultations,  32,857. 

School  of  ReHgious  Work,  72  Classes.    Number  taught,  6,609. 

People's  Synagogue.    Average  attendance,  700. 

Special  services  for  Holy  Days,  8  synagogues.  Attendance, 
2,054. 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  237 

Sabbath  Afternoon  Services.    Average  attendance,  650. 

Young  People's  Synagogue.    Average  attendance,  200. 

Lectures  on  Moral  Topics  of  the  Day,  45.  Average  attend- 
ance, 700. 

Entertainments,  moving  pictures,  lectures  and  concerts,  291 
events.    Attendance,  200,000. 

Branch  B.  (Thomas  Davidson  Society)  number  in  classes, 
290;  number  in  clubs,  490. 

Roof  Garden.    Average  daily  attendance,  4,039. 

Eighty-three  Clubs.    Total  enrollment,  1,756. 

Camp  (Junior  Division).    Number  accommodated,  483. 

Girl's  Summer  Home.    Number  accommodated,  289. 

Indoor  Playgrounds. 

Outdoor  Club  activities  in  Parks  and  Playgrounds. 

Social  Rooms  for  Women,  Girls,  Men,  and  Boys. 

Information  Bureau. 

Naturalization  Bureau. 

Classes  in  Ethics. 

Penny  Provident  Fund  Station. 

Parents'  Meetings. 

Free  Baths,  etc. 

The  Expenses  were  $118,068. 

I.  Experiences  in  Other  Cities 

The  experiences  of  the  Educational  Alliance  are  re- 
peated in  similar  institutions  in  other  cities.  In  Cleve- 
land, the  Council  Educational  Alliance,  under  the 
leadership  of  Isaac  Spectorsky,  former  Superintendent 
of  the  Educational  Alliance  in  New  York,  reached  the 
height  of  popularity  during  the  years  1900  to  1904. 
In  1906,  during  the  Garment  Strike  of  that  city,  the 
attitude  of  the  Alliance  caused  bitter  feelings  among 
the  workingmen.    Great  opposition  was  demonstrated, 


238  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  institution  was  boycotted,  and  while,  later,  the 
matter  was  adjusted,  the  Alliance  never  recovered 
from  this  incident,  and  does  not  attract  the  large 
working  masses  that  were  once  wont  to  be  frequenters 
of  the  institution. 

J.  A  New  Departure 

In  Chicago,  the  Hebrew  Institute  is  a  representative 
type  of  an  institution  of  somewhat  different  principle 
from  those  of  the  Educational  AlUance.  Its  motto  is 
*'Self-Help."  It  asserts  that  the  establishment  of 
charitable  institutions  by  patronizing  lodges  or  societies 
in  the  midst  of  the  Russian  Jewish  community  is  a 
detriment  to  the  people  whom  it  is  introduced  for, 
rather  than  a  blessing.  The  Chicago  Hebrew  Institute 
was  organized  in  1903  by  Dr.  R.  L.  H.  Halpern.  Its 
beginning  was  rather  modest.  The  amount  of  money 
collected  at  the  organization  was  only  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.  But  it  did  not  take  long  to  get  under  way. 
The  institute  first  rented  a  small  house  in  the  congested 
neighborhood,  acquired  considerable  property  of  its 
own,  and  gradually  erected  a  new  building  in  its  present 
location.  This  is  undoubtedly  the  largest  plant  de- 
voted to  Jewish  educational  activities. 

Its  leaflet  announcing  the  activities  in  19 13  is  rather 
interesting.  The  cover  lauds  the  fact  that  this  is  the 
busiest  institution  per  square  foot  of  floor  space  of  any 
undertaking, — commercial,  social,  or  philanthropic,  in 
the  city  of  Chicago.  One-fifth  of  the  Jewish  population 
of  the  West  and  Northwest  sides  of  Chicago  is  registered 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  239 

in  the  Educational,  Athletic,  and  Cultural  activities  of 
this  institution.    Here  is  the  description : 

Six  acres  of  ground  in  the  heart  of  the  congested 
district  are  devoted  to  open-air  education,  athletics,  and 
play.  One  of  the  cardinal  principles  of  the  institute  is 
that  it  is  not  charity.  Everybody  pays.  Children  pay 
for  the  game  rooms  and  the  playgrounds.  The  Enghsh 
students  pay,  the  Art  and  Music  Classes  pay;  every 
club  pays.  Every  theatrical  performance  charges  ad- 
mission. It  is,  of  course,  true,  that  no  person  is  denied 
the  privileges  of  the  institute  because  of  his  or  her 
inability  to  pay  the  charges,  but  instances  are  few 
where  payment  is  not  made. 

How  far  this  fact  accounts  for  the  institute's  popular- 
ity and  its  prevailing  air  of  cheerfulness  and  freedom  it 
is  difficult  to  say.  One-third  of  the  expenses  of  the 
institute,  including  the  cost  of  administration  and  over- 
head, is  actually  received  from  the  students  and  those 
who  use  the  institute.  This  is  a  larger  percentage  of 
internal  revenue  than  is  expected  of  any  University. 

What  is  the  institute?  It  is  not  a  settlement.  It  is 
not  a  school.  It  is  not  a  social  center.  It  is  not  a  club. 
It  is  not  a  charitable  institution.    It  is — Unique. 

It  cannot  be  readily  classified  because  it  is  the 
spontaneous  outgrowth  of  the  demand  of  the  Jewish 
community  of  two-thirds  of  Chicago.  It  has  become  a 
great  communal  force.  It  stands  for  education,  re- 
finement, and  decorum.  That  an  organization  meets 
at  the  institute  guarantees  its  respectability.  It  serves 
all  movements,  educational,  philanthropic,  civic,  social. 


240  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

cultural,  athletic,  and  religious.  It  serves  all  ages — 
babes  in  the  creche,  kindergarten  tots  and  those  of 
school  age,  young  men  and  women,  matured  adults. 
It  serves  equally  the  immigrant  and  the  native-born. 
It  is  frankly  Jewish,  staunchly  American.  What  is  the 
institute?    Well — it  is  just  "  The  Institute." 

It  would  seem  reasonable  to  assume,  that  this  institu- 
tion is  free  from  the  possibihty  of  antagonism  and 
attack  from  those  who  are  using  the  facihties.  Expe- 
rience, however,  proves  the  contrary.  The  Chicago 
Hebrew  Institute  was  boycotted  in  191 5  by  all  the 
Jewish  radical  and  workingmen's  organizations  of  the 
city.  Five  hundred  students  of  the  night  classes  of 
the  institute  left  it  in  a  body,  and  refused  to  return. 
To  make  this  boycott  still  more  effective,  every  ac- 
tivity of  the  Chicago  Hebrew  Institute  was  duplicated.^ 
The  boycott  was  the  result  of  a  misunderstanding 
concerning  a  meeting  arranged  by  the  radicals,  and 
which  the  president  of  the  institute  called  off  rather  in- 
advisedly. 

Similar  difhculties  were  experienced  in  this  institu- 
tion before.  Dr.  David  Blaustein,  who  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  Hebrew  Institute  from  1908  to  19 10,  had 
considerable  difficulty  in  adjusting  matters.  At  one 
time  the  situation  was  as  follows:  Blaustein  had  made 
some  remarks  concerning  Christmas  Carols  in  the 
PubHc  Schools.  The  Jewish  press  took  advantage  of  it 
and  declared  him  to  be  the  enemy  of  the  people.    He 

1  "The  Truth  About  the  Boycott  of  the  Chicago  Hebrew  Insti- 
tute," Julius  Wolffert,  Chicago,  III.,  1915. 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  241 

prohibited  the  speaking  of  Emma  Goldman,  and  the 
Radicals  boycotted  the  institute.  He  organized  a 
modern  Orthodox  congregation,  and  the  representatives 
of  the  Reform  element  fomid  fault  with  him. 

Thus  the  experiment  of  the  Chicago  Hebrew  Institute 
to  make  the  institution  self-supporting,  did  not  result 
in  a  friendly  attitude  of  the  constituency  as  it  was  sup- 
posed to  do. 

K.  Neighborhood  Self-Activity 

The  self-acti\aty  of  the  masses  has  lately  received 
expression  in  institutions  administering  to  certain 
groups  only  and  having  a  definite  program  of  prop- 
aganda. Thus,  in  a  number  of  cities,  we  find  Radical 
Centers,  Zion  Institutes,  Labor  Lyceums,  and  so  forth. 
All  these  institutions  are  still  in  the  experimental  stage, 
and  have  great  difficulty  in  raising  sufficient  funds.  The 
management  is  rather  crude.  It  is  difficult  to  predict 
their  future. 

L.  Technical  Education 

Among  the  educational  efforts  on  the  part  of  the 
American  Jews  to  help  the  newly  arrived  immigrants, 
the  subject  of  promoting  manual  training  received 
serious  consideration  from  the  very  beginning.  As 
early  as  1880,  a  technical  school  for  girls  was  founded  in 
New  York  City.  At  present  the  Hebrew  Technical 
Institute  for  Girls  is  operating  a  large  plant,  comprising 
industrial  as  well  as  commercial  classes.  The  Hebrew 
Technical  Institute  for  Boys  was  established  in  1883. 


242  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

The  leading  spirit  of  the  institution  as  well  as  the 
founder  was  Dr.  L.  M.  Leipziger,  a  renowned  pedagogue, 
who  has  devoted  his  life  to  the  education  of  the  masses. 
The  institute  offers  a  three  years'  course  in  technical  and 
general  education  to  boys  fourteen  to  seventeen  years  of 
age  who  have  completed  the  seventh  grade  of  public 
school.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  over  seventy- 
five  per  cent  of  all  the  graduates  are  following  me- 
chanical pursuits.  The  Baron  De  Hirsch  Trade  School 
is  a  school  for  adults.^  The  Clara  De  Hirsch  Home  for 
Girls,  in  New  York,  was  estabhshed  in  1905.  It  was 
primarily  intended  as  a  home  for  the  Jewish  working 
girl  of  the  metropolis, — a  home  where  she  might  have 
an  opportunity  of  living  comfortably  at  a  small  cost 
and  upon  return  from  work  meet  girls  of  her  own  age  in 
a  congenial  atmosphere.  From  the  very  start,  how- 
ever, classes  in  sewing  and  domestic  science  were 
introduced.  At  least  part  of  the  girls  living  at  the 
home  were  not  working  on  the  outside,  but  were  given  a 
practical  course  in  some  trade.  At  present  there  are 
classes  in  hand  sewing,  machine  operating,  underwear 
making,  millinery  and  so  on.  The  Jewish  Training 
School  in  Chicago  was  a  forerunner  of  the  different 
forms  of  manual  training  found  at  present  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  city.  Manual  training  classes  have 
also  become  an  ingredient  part  of  every  Jewish  settle- 
ment, and  almost  every  large  city  has  some  provision, 
in  addition  to  the  general  facilities,  for  teaching  manual 
training  to  Jewish  children.    The  Jewish  Kitchen  Gar- 

'  See  page  182. 


THE  EDUCATION  OF  IMMIGRANTS  243 

den  and  Trade  School  for  Girls  in  Cincinnati  was  estab- 
lished in  1892.  Here  the  pupils  do  actual  work,  fill 
orders  in  dressmaking,  embroidery,  etc.,  and  receive 
pay  while  following  the  course.  Similar  arrangements 
are  found  in  Cleveland,  Detroit,  and  other  cities. 

Chapter  Fifteen.   The  Education  of  Immigrants 
Questions 

1.  Explain  the  origin  of  the  American  Ghetto. 

2.  What  were  the  purposes  of  the  Educational  Alliance  of 
New  York? 

3.  What  was  the  attitude  of  the  masses  toward  Americaniz- 
ing influences? 

4.  Discuss  the  part  the  Yiddish  language  played  in  the 
work  of  the  Educational  Alliance. 

5.  What  were  the  reasons  for  changing  the  administration? 

6.  State  the  policy  of  David  Blaustein  in  regard  to  the  Edu- 
cational Alliance. 

7.  State  the  reasons  for  the  opposition  of  different  groups 
to  the  Educational  Alliance. 

8.  Give  the  experience  of  the  Council  Educational  Alliance 
of  Cleveland. 

9.  Describe  the  Hebrew  Institute  of  Chicago. 

ID.  What  were  the  difficulties  in  the  management  of  the 
Chicago  Hebrew  Institute? 

11.  Name  the  institutions  founded  by  the  people  of  the 
neighborhood  themselves. 

12.  Discuss  the  institutions  for  technical  education  among 
Jews. 


XVI 

JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  AND  NEIGHBORHOOD 

WORK 

It  is  quite  interesting  to  observe  a  new  controversy 
as  to  the  tendencies  in  Jewish  institutions.  This  is 
especially  striking  in  regard  to  the  so-called  Jewish 
;  settlements.  The  first  Jewish  settlement  was  probably 
I  estabhshed  in  Chicago  in  1893.  "  The  Handbook  of 
Settlements"  issued  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation  in 
191 1  reports  only  fourteen  Jewish  settlements.  In 
the  preface  of  the  handbook  it  is  hinted  that  a  typical 
settlement  "under  American  conditions  is  one  which 
provides  neutral  territory,  traversing  all  the  lines  of 
social  and  religious  cleavage."  In  this  respect,  the  rise 
of  specifically  Jewish  settlements  is  a  deviation  from  the 
regular  course,  and  is  not  typical  of  the  general  situation. 
Mr.  Walter  Solomon,  head  worker  of  the  Jewish 
Council  Educational  AUiance  in  Cleveland,  takes  the 
standpoint  that  the  Jewish  settlement  is  a  misnomer. 
A  settlement,  according  to  him,  can  be  neither  Jewish 
nor  Christian,  Mohammedan  nor  Buddhist.  A  Jewish 
settlement  conceived  of  as  a  racial  or  national  group 
is  an  anomaly.^  On  the  other  hand,  at  the  National 
Conference  of  Jewish  Charities  at  Memphis,  1914,  the 
feeling  was  strong  that  a  Jewish  settlement  must  be 

1 "  Jewish  Charities,"  Vol.  V,  page  190. 
244 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  245 

Jewish.  "Our  duty,"  said  Cyrus  B.  Sulzberger,  in  his 
address  on  the  Problems  of  American  Jewry,  "is  to 
teach  the  newcomer  the  ways  of  American  life  without 
losing  his  contact  with  Judaism.  The  social  settle- 
ments and  their  success  are  to  be  measured  by  their 
ability  to  reach  parent  as  well  as  child  and  prevent 
the  breach  which  is  so  frequent  between  the  product 
of  the  Old  World  environment  and  that  of  the  New."  ^ 

A.  The  Settlement  as  a  Socml  Service  Agency 

The  essential  purpose  of  a  settlement  is  social  service. 
Social  service,  in  its  final  analysis,  is  designed  for  the 
elimination  or  reduction  of  the  waste  of  society.  Pov- 
erty, as  such,  is  not  a  new  phenomenon.  The  signifi- 
cance, however,  of  poverty,  in  its  broader  sense,  has 
never  before  been  recognized  as  it  is  to-day.  To  feed 
the  hungry,  to  clothe  the  naked,  and  to  shelter  the 
homeless,  form  only  a  small  part  of  modern  philan- 
thropy. The  world  has  come  to  realize  that  poverty 
carries  with  it  a  multitude  of  other  scourges  of  society, 
that  it  is  crushing  humanity,  that  it  affects  character, 
that  it  spells  misery,  sickness,  deprivation,  corruption 
and  degeneration. 

How  to  prevent  these  attributes  of  poverty,  how  to 
strike  at  the  very  cause  of  it,  how  to  ameliorate  the 
condition  of  the  poor,  these  are  the  problems  confront- 
ing the  modem  social  worker,  and  agitating  the  think- 
ing, feehng  part  of  civilized  humanity. 

1  Proceedings  National  Conference  Jewish  Charities,  Memphis, 
1914. 


246  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

I.  Origin  of  Social  Settlements 

General  Booth,  probably,  was  the  first  to  call  atten- 
tion, outside  of  fiction,  to  the  existing  conditions  of 
what  he  called  the  underworld.  It  is  quite  interesting 
to  mention  the  experiences  of  Count  Leo  N.  Tolstoi, 
when,  in  the  capacity  of  director  of  the  census,  he  dis- 
covered that  the  slum,  besides  possessing  digestive 
organs,  has  also  a  heart  and  a  mind,  sometimes  cor- 
rupted, polluted,  and  vicious,  and  again,  highly  sensi- 
tive, moral,  elevating,  and  strictly  honest.  He  soon 
realized  that  this  neglected  part  of  humanity  is  neither 
better  nor  worse,  on  the  whole,  than  the  rest;  that 
human  nature  asserts  itself  there  as  in  any  other  quar- 
ters. He  realized,  however,  that  he  was  a  stranger  to 
this  world,  and  that  if  he  wanted  to  live  for  it  he  must 
live  with  it.  This  intensive  knowledge  of  the  people 
among  whom  the  social  worker  is  to  work  is  the  basis 
of  efficient  settlement  work.  The  same  experiences 
we  find  in  England,  as  expressed  in  the  establishment 
of  the  first  settlement,  Toynbee  Hall.  In  the  United 
States,  Miss  Jane  Addams  is  considered  the  pioneer 
in  this  movement. 

2.  Definition 

A  settlement  is  a  center,  radiating  the  collective  efforts 
of  individuals,  acting  as  a  part  of  a  given  neighborhood 
or  community  group,  and  working  for  the  benefit  of  the 
latter. 

This  is  the  basic  principle  of  settlement  work.  In 
its  practical  application,  a  social  settlement,  like  ever}' 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  247 

other  social  service  agency,  is  dynamic  in  its  character, 
and  permits  of  modification  in  accordance  with  chang- 
ing circumstances. 

3.  Residents  in  Settlements 

Thus  in  many  settlements,  we  find  what  is  known 
as  the  residential  quarters,  where  the  workers  actually 
live  within  the  walls  of  the  settlement  building,  on 
the  supposition  that  this  is  the  only  way  in  which  they  \ ' 
can  learn  the  needs  of  the  community  and  become  I 
an  integral  part  thereof.  In  Jewish  settlement  work,' 
the  residential  feature  is  frequently  eliminated,  for  in 
this  case  the  personal  contact  with  the  community  is 
not  necessarily  connected  with  residence  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. The  Jewish  social  worker,  without  residing 
in  the  community,  may  know  the  latter  more  inti- 
mately, and  exert  his  influence  more  effectively  than 
the  stranger  who  happens  to  choose  to  live  among 
these  people.  The  example  of  the  individual  life  of 
the  social  worker  is  of  little  value  in  the  Jewish  Ghetto. 
The  Ghetto  has  enough  potential  forces  for  higher 
ideals  within  itself,  and  the  function  of  the  settlement 
is  mainly  to  organize  these  forces,  to  protect  the  com- 
munity from  negative  influences,  and  to  present  op- 
portunities for  educational  and  social  advancement. 

4.  Charity  in  Settlements 

Charity,  if  properly  conducted,  must  be  a  neighbor- 
hood activity,  and  no  settlement  can  do  efficient  work 
without  entering  into  the  different  phases  of  charitable 


248  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

enterprize.  Unfortunately,  relief  agencies  are  con- 
ducted in  such  a  manner  that  as  a  rule  the  neglected 
neighborhood  not  only  avoids  dealings  with  them, 
but  hates  everyone  connected.  The  remedy  does  not 
lie  in  assuming  the  name  of  a  new  concern.  True 
charity  ought  to  comprise  a  complete  organization  of 
all  social  service  agencies. 

Thus  the  residential  feature  in  settlements,  and  the 
separation  from  general  charity  organizations  are 
not  essential  features  of  Jewish  settlements.  With 
all  this,  however,  the  Jewish  settlement  is  an  actual 
reaHty,  and  has  specific  functions  to  perform  which 
other  agencies  cannot  fulfill.  Inasmuch  as  the  com- 
munity needs  are  not  answered  by  general  effort,  the 
Jewish  settlement  assumes  the  responsibility,  though 
these  activities  may  have  no  specific  Jewish  character. 
(Thus,  legal  aid,  teaching  English  to  foreigners,  libraries, 
'  classes  and  lectures  on  general  subjects,  manual  train- 
ing and  physical  culture,  infant  welfare  work,  play- 
ground activities,  and  a  thousand  and  one  other  in- 
terests are  legitimate  items  in  the  program  of  a  Jewish 
settlement.  But  these  activities  can  be  also  conducted 
by  other  agencies,  and  ultimately  should  become  the 
functions  of  municipal  enterprize. 

5.  The  Specific  Problem 

A  social  worker,  coming  into  close  contact  with  the 
life  of  the  Jewish  immigrant,  cannot  help  deploring 
the  widening  of  the  gap  between  the  old  and  the 
young, — the  parent  and  the  child.    The  home  influence, 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  249 

which  is  in  a  great  measure  responsible  for  the  integrity 
of  the  immigrant  family  is  weakening  from  year  to 
year.  The  parents  are  imable  to  keep  up  with  the 
rapid  Americanization  of  the  younger  generation; 
their  children  are  rapidly  acquiring  new  tastes  and 
tendencies,  and  are  losing  their  attachment  and  re- 
spect for  their  father  and  mother. 

Considerable  effort  has  been  made  by  different  agen- 
cies to  help  the  older  folks  adapt  themselves  to  the 
new  conditions.  Classes  for  adult  immigrants,  mothers' 
clubs,  lectures,  and  so  on,  have  been  organized  in  order 
to  hasten  the  Americanization  of  the  parent,  and  thus 
bring  them  closer  to  their  own  children,  enabling  them 
to  speak  and  understand  the  language  of  the  latter. 
Home  surroundings  have  been  also  attacked  in  a 
fashion  to  make  them  more  American  and  to  the  taste 
of  the  growing  youth.  All  these  attempts  have  pro- 
duced, undoubtedly,  the  desired  effect;  but  the  prob- 
lem has  been  tackled  only  on  one  side.  It  has  been 
forgotten  that  besides  the  advisability  of  making  the 
parents  more  modern  and  putting  them,  so  to  say,  in 
a  shape  lovable  to  the  children,  it  is  also  important 
that  the  children  should  be  able  to  realize  the  strong 
and  positive  sides  of  their  parents,  not  only  as  much 
as  they  have  succeeded  in  modifying  themselves  in 
the  process  of  Americanization.  Aside  from  that, 
children  should  be  able  to  appreciate  the  merits  of 
their  parents  as  they  are;  they  should  know  the  sacri- 
fices that  their  parents  have  made  for  the  sake  of  their 
religion;  they  should  respect  and  love  them  because 


250  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

of  their  devotion  to  ideals  which  they  consider  right; 
they  should  know  their  struggles  and  tribulations  be- 
fore and  after  coming  to  the  land  of  the  free.  It  is 
only  this  intimate  knowledge  of  the  real  worth  in  the 
character  of  parents  that  makes  the  child  proud  of  his 
ancestry,  anxious  to  maintain  its  reputation,  strengthen 
the  attachment  and  devotion. 

A  strenuous  effort,  therefore,  is  made  in  different 
directions  to  revive  the  interest  toward  Jewish  ideals; 
to  return  to  Jewish  culture,  to  develop  an  interest  to- 
ward Jewish  history,  and  to  strengthen  the  weakening 
ties  of  the  Jews  of  all  the  world. 

6.  Difficulties  in  Jewish  Settlements 

The  Jewish  settlement  meets  many  difficulties  in 
pursuing  its  purpose.  To  begin  with,  while  adminis- 
tering to  the  Jewish  population,  it  does  not  deal  with  a 
homogeneous  group.  There  are  the  radicals  and  the 
conservatives,  the  Reformers  and  the  Orthodox,  the 
fanatics  of  the  different  ideals  and  creeds,  and  the 
large  mass  indifferent  to  any  social  endeavor.  Again, 
there  is  the  deeply  rooted  prejudice  against  settlements, 
especially  among  those  who  are  constantly  fearing  that 
an  attempt  is  being  made  to  rob  them  of  their  independ- 
ence, impose  obligations  upon  them  and  give  them 
ideas  that  will  disturb  their  social  prestige.  There  is 
also  a  considerable  pressure  brought  to  bear  against 
the  settlement  by  those  who  are  financially  or  otherwise 
interested  in  keeping  the  neighborhoods  away  from 
forces  that  may  counteract  the  influence  of  the  saloon, 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  251 

moving-picture  show,  dance  hall,  political  club,  and  so 
on. 

There  is  another  side  to  the  problem.  What  do  the 
Jews  of  to-day  represent?  Are  they  a  nation,  a  race,  or 
a  religious  sect?  The  Jews  themselves  cannot  agree 
upon  their  own  social  status.  In  the  land  of  the  op- 
pressed, they  insist  upon  their  national  autonomy,  and 
are  craving  for  the  resurrection  of  the  home  of  Israel  in 
the  Holy  Land,  and  then  again,  in  the  land  of  the  free, 
they  repudiate  any  insinuation  of  their  being  a  separate 
nation,  and  insist  that  rehgion  is  the  only  tie  between 
Jew  and  Jew.  The  Reformed  and  the  Orthodox,  the 
pious  and  the  free  thinking,  seem  to  be  in  continual 
controversy  over  the  conception  of  the  Jews  as  a  people. 
Whatever  the  case  may  be,  the  Jews  present  a  most 
wonderful  example  of  stability  of  a  social  unit,  making 
the  Jews  of  the  world  into  one  people,  no  matter  in 
which  clime  and  condition  they  may  Kve.  The  cry  of 
the  suffering  Jews  in  the  distant  lands  strikes  a  quick, 
responsive  note  of  sympathy  and  helpfulness  among 
Jews  of  other  countries.  There  seems  to  be  a  sub- 
conscious sense  of  responsibility  existing  in  the  heart 
of  every  Jew  for  the  conduct  of  his  co-religionists. 
Victims  of  false  accusations,  persecuted  and  oppressed, 
driven  along  the  road  to  exile,  the  Jews  have  succeeded 
in  maintaining  a  high  standard  of  moral  integrity  of  the 
home.  They  are  taken  as  a  model  of  exemplary  domes- 
tic virtue.  At  least,  such  has  been  the  case  until  recent 
years,  when  the  contact  with  the  new  environments  in 
this  country  seemed  to  have  produced  an  unprecedented 


252  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

breakdown  of  the  pillars  of  the  Jewish  home.  Here  lies 
the  importance  of  Jewish  tendencies  in  settlement  work. 
If  this  Jewish  tendency  will  contribute  toward  the 
preservation  of  the  positive  features  of  Jewish  life, 
maintain  the  home  as  the  unit, — the  most  important 
factor  in  the  development  of  the  strong  character  of  the 
Jev/s, — if  this  tendency  absorbs  the  interest  of  the 
youth,  helps  to  diminish  the  breach  between  father  and 
child,  if  it  will  protect  the  children  of  the  Ghetto  during 
the  period  of  adaptation  from  the  pernicious  influences 
of  contact  with  a  lower  strata  of  society,  if  this  tendency 
will  keep  the  Jews  together  in  the  most  crucial  period  of 
their  existence  and  help  them  outlive  the  shattering 
effects  of  slum  surroundings,  if  it  will  prevent  the  forma- 
tion of  a  permanent  Jewish  slum,  its  efforts  are  well 
worth  while  making,  without  any  respect  as  to  whether 
they  are  pointing  toward  the  conception  of  the  Jews  as 
a  race,  nation,  religion,  or  simply  a  social  group.  Thus, 
theoretically,  the  professional  Jewish  social  workers 
agree  upon  Jewish  tendencies  in  settlements.  In  prac- 
tice, however,  many  of  the  existing  Jewish  settlements 
are  still  emphasizing  the  non-sectarian  features,  and 
prefer  to  stand  for  something  "broader  than  Judaism." 

B.  Jewish  Activities  in  Settlement  Work 

I.  Jews  oj  Many  Lands 

-  A  most  striking  example  in  introducing  the  Jewish 
element  in  settlement  work  is  presented  in  the  Exposi- 
tion of  the  Jews  of  Many  Lands,  held  at  the  Jewish 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  253 

settlement  of  Cincinnati  in  19 13  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
vention of  the  Union  of  American  Hebrew  Congrega- 
tions. Fifty-one  different  local  Jewish  organizations, 
including  temples,  lodges,  synagogues,  fraternal  and 
civic  organizations,  labor  unions,  Zionist  societies,  social 
and  literary  clubs,  lent  their  co-operation  in  fostering 
this  new  undertaking.  The  exposition  comprised  over 
four  hundred  charts  and  tables,  covering  the  entire 
history  of  the  Jews  of  twenty-seven  different  countries, 
with  statistical  data  and  describing  present  conditions. 
A  rich  collection  of  different  articles  of  Jewish  ceremo- 
nial, together  with  a  large  number  of  attributes  of  Jew- 
ish Hfe  in  the  different  countries  were  loaned  for  the 
exposition,  alike  by  rich  and  by  poor  residents  of  the 
city.  There  was  the  Torah  and  adornments,  the 
phylacteries,  matzoth  covers,  menorahs,  sabbath  lamps, 
spice  boxes,  etc.;  there  also  were  samovars  and  dish- 
pans,  silver  candlesticks  and  a  thousand  and  one  other 
attributes  of  the  foreign  household.  A  rich  exhibit  of 
women's  handiwork,  embroidery  and  crocheting,  fancy 
filet  work,  indicated  the  innate  love  of  the  beautiful. 
Twelve  national,  philanthropic  and  educational  or- 
ganizations participated  in  the  exposition  by  sending 
copious  material.  These  included  the  Council  of  Jewish 
Women,  the  National  Garment  Workers  Union,  the 
Kehillah,  the  American  Jewish  Committee,  the  Indus- 
trial Removal  Office,  the  National  Farm  School,  the 
Jewish  Agricultural  Aid  Society,  the  Baron  De  Hirsch 
Fund,  the  Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  and  others. 
All  these  exhibits  were  arranged  by  countries,  beginning 


254  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

with  the  United  States  and  ending  with  Abyssinia, 
where,  recently,  the  Falashas,  or  Black  Jews,  attracted 
considerable  attention.  The  growth  and  achievements 
of  the  Jews  in  the  United  States  were  depicted  by  com- 
parative statistics,  and  by  tables  containing  the  names 
and  achievements  of  persons  prominent  in  American 
Jewry,  with  a  detailed  history  of  the  Jews  in  Cincinnati. 

In  this,  as  in  all  other  exhibits,  there  were  living 
demonstrations  of  the  costumes  worn  by  Jews  of  the 
different  countries,  and  in  the  case  of  the  United  States, 
the  uniform  of  the  West  Point  cadet  and  the  athletic 
attire  of  a  Vassar  maid  were  taken  as  characteristics. 
Quite  an  interesting  booth  presented  the  "Back  to  the 
Land"  movement  among  the  American  Jews.  There 
were  interesting  exhibits  of  Jewish  colonies,  and  a  de- 
tailed description  of  the  work  of  the  two  Jewish  agricul- 
tural schools,  as  well  as  the  Agricultural  Aid  Society 
and  the  Federation  of  American  Farmers. 

The  Russian  department  presented  a  recital  of  con- 
tinuous suffering  and  oppression.  The  Orthodox  rabbi, 
the  soldier,  the  pohtical  prisoner,  the  revolutionist,  the 
different  types  of  women,  represented  by  immigrants 
from  Russia,  re-enacted  actual  episodes  from  Jewish 
life  in  Dark  Russia,  with  a  background  of  scenery  rep- 
resenting the  interior  of  a  Russian  izba, — soldiers, 
guard  booth,  and  appropriate  music  and  national 
dances. 

The  Zionists  made  a  special  effort  to  present  to  the 
pubHc  the  achievements  of  the  Jews  in  Palestine,  in- 
dicating the  possibility  of  the  establishment  of  a  legally 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  255 

assured  home  for  Jews  in  the  Holy  Land.  The  work  of 
the  Bezalel  School  of  Art  established  in  Jerusalem  by 
Boris  Schatz  only  a  few  years  ago  attracted  considerable 
attention,  not  only  on  account  of  the  artistic  products, 
but  also  because  this  school  typifies  the  revival  of 
Jewish  art. 

The  Turkish  Jews  living  in  Cincinnati,  who  originally 
came  from  Spain  and  are  known  as  Spaniolas,  occupied 
an  unique  place  in  the  exhibit,  their  songs  and  dances 
expressing  mixed  features  of  Spanish,  Turkish,  Jewish 
and  American  influence.  The  Alliance  Israelite  Univer- 
selle,  an  international  association  of  Jews  of  all  over  the 
world,  showed  the  wide  range  of  its  work,  covering 
every  country  where  Jews  were  oppressed,  concentrat- 
ing its  efforts  over  the  Balkan  territory  and  northern 
Africa. 

The  Jewish  Mothers'  Club  of  the  city  maintained  a 
lunch  counter  of  the  favorite  dishes  of  the  Jews  of  many 
lands,  and  the  Hebrew  Union  College  exhibited  a  rare 
collection  of  books  and  manuscripts  of  ancient  Hebrew 
lore. 

The  pageant  on  the  auditorium  stage  expressed  the 
idea  of  the  exposition,  taking  as  the  keynote  of  the 
prologue  the  theme  of  Zangwill's  "  Melting  Pot,"  and  as 
a  finale  the  recital  of  the  experiences  of  the  Jews  with 
many  nations,  including  Jewish  songs  of  various  coun- 
tries rendered  by  a  large  chorus;  a  musical  program  by 
professional  talent  of  the  city,  and  picturesque  tableaux 
of  the  Jews  of  Many  Lands  were  also  given. 

Each  and  every  club  in  the  settlement  not  only 


256  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

lent  its  assistance  in  making  the  exposition  a  success, 
but  took  upon  its  own  responsibility  at  least  one  of 
the  entertaining  features:  thus  the  Sons  and  Daughters 
of  Zion  took  charge  of  the  Palestinian  department; 
the  Young  Women's  Improvement  Club  reproduced 
scenes  from  Shulamith;  the  Lily  Club  presented  a  set 
of  tableaux  on  "Great  Women  in  Israel";  the  Young 
Women's  Hebrew  Association  gave  national  dances, 
and  the  Young  Men's  Hebrew  Association  gave  an 
athletic  exhibition.  Over  four  hundred  active  volun- 
teers participated  in  the  entertainment,  and  there 
was  no  single  instance  of  friction  or  unpleasantness 
in  the  execution  of  their  duties.  The  most  remarkable 
feature  was  the  attitude  of  the  children  of  the  neighbor- 
hood toward  this  enterprize.  Their  deportment  and 
appreciation  of  the  entertainment  given  was  so  strik- 
ingly different  from  the  usual  course  that  nothing  in 
discipline  could  be  better  expected  than  the  results 
achieved.  The  expenses  of  this  exposition  were  in 
the  neighborhood  of  one  thousand  eight  hundred  dol- 
lars. The  largest  part  of  it  was  covered  by  the  in- 
come from  admission  charges.  For  months  preced- 
ing the  exposition,  the  entire  work  of  the  settlement 
was  devoted  to  preparation.  The  charts  and  tables 
were  largely  prepared  by  volunteer  help.  Groups  of 
the  neighborhood  were  organized  for  the  chorus,  tab- 
leaux, program,  and  so  on.  A  corps  of  interpreters 
was  formed  into  classes  to  study  the  material.  The 
supervision  and  the  actual  management  were  also 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  constituency  of  the  settle- 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  257 

ment,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few  additional 
helpers  to  the  staff  of  the  settlement,  the  entire  service 
was  done  gratuitously. 

The  exposition  attracted  wide  attention  in  the  city, 
and  a  number  of  Jewish  social  workers  came  from  other 
localities  to  see  this  new  departure  in  the  realm  of 
Jewish  settlement  activities.  Jewish  leaders  felt  that 
they  had  been  looking  in  vain  for  inspiration  in  so 
many  other  directions,  that  this  return  to  the  treasures 
of  the  past  was  a  cause  for  genuine  rejoicing.  The 
exposition  succeeded  in  presenting  the  salient  facts 
of  Jewish  history.  It  succeeded  in  showing  that  Jews, 
different  in  dress,  are  alike  in  soul-complexion;  dif- 
ferent in  manners,  are  alike  in  fine  heart  throbs;  it 
proved  that  difference  does  not  mean  inferiority  but 
emphasizes  the  brotherhood  of  Israel. 

2.  Children's  Clubs 

It  is  not  only  on  special  occasions,  but  in  everyday 
routine  that  the  Jewish  settlement  has  possibilities  for 
emphasizing  the  specific  purpose  for  which  it  exists. 
In  children's  clubs,  while  methods  are  the  same  as  those 
generally  applied  in  conducting  such  activities,  the 
content  could  be  made  Jewish. 

The  popular  Travel  Club,  both  for  boys  and  girls, 
will  be  enriched  in  its  content  by  including  items  of 
Jewish  interest.  Children  on  imaginary  trips  will  be 
delighted  to  visit  settlements  in  other  cities,  meet 
men  and  women  of  their  own  faith  living  under  dif- 
ferent conditions,  get  acquainted  with  the  land  of 


258  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

their  fathers,  know  the  Pale  of  Russia  and  the  Ghettos 
of  Europe.  Why  not  give  them  the  privilege  of  spend- 
ing a  holiday  in  the  Jewish  surroundings  of  Galicia? 
Why  not  introduce  them  to  the  great  men  and  women 
of  Israel  all  over  the  world?  This  ought  to  be  of  more 
interest  to  Jewish  children  than  visiting  the  cathedrals 
in  England  and  the  Vatican  in  Italy.  The  Jewish 
agency,  be  it  a  settlement  or  any  other  educational 
institution  conducting  children's  clubs,  is  the  only  one 
that  can  offer  a  program  of  this  kind. 

This  is  applicable  to  any  kind  of  a  club.  For  in- 
stance, the  Antiquary  Club  can  make  collections  of 
articles  of  Jewish  life, — ceremonials,  religious  para- 
phernalia. They  can  collect  autographs,  chiefly  of 
Jewish  men  and  women. 

The  Art  Club  studies  the  productions  of  Jewish  paint- 
ers, pictures  of  Jewish  life,  collects  art  postals  of  Jewish 
subjects,  reproduces  scenes  of  the  home,  and  so  on. 

In  the  Doll  Club,  the  children  dress  the  dolls  in  cos- 
tumes  of  the  Jews  of  the  different  countries  of  different 
epochs.  Even  in  the  athletic  field,  Jewish  features 
can  be  easily  introduced. 

A  Jewish  Boys'  Brigade,  as  the  one  formed  in  New 
York  as  early  as  1904,  with  the  emphasis  laid  upon 
Jev/ishness,  and  with  the  idea  that  the  boys  are  not 
only  athletes  but  Jews,  cannot  fail  to  add  to  the  ef- 
ficiency of  this  particular  acti\ity.  All  these  details 
appeal  to  the  children's  imagination,  tie  them  with 
group  interests,  develop  sympathy  for  their  own  people, 
their  own  parents,  their  home. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  259 

3.  Jewish  Games 

In  the  realm  of  play,  games  of  a  specifically  Jewish 
character  can  be  easily  developed.  Very  Httle  has 
been  done  in  this  direction.  Barring  a  few  Purim  and 
Chanukah  plays,  most  of  them  of  mediocre  merit, 
there  is  little  material  from  which  to  draw.  An  attempt 
in  this  direction  has  been  made  in  Cincinnati,  where  a 
few  games  were  devised,  appropriate  for  different  hoU- 
days.  The  "Chanukah  Trendel"  is  made  of  card- 
board, and  by  following  the  directions  printed,  with 
the  help  of  a  match  stick  the  child  produces  a  toy  which 
is  similar  to  the  traditional  Trendel.^  The  Purim 
Shadowgraph  presents  the  usual  cutting  of  figures  and 
together  with  a  text  of  a  Purim  play,  gives  the  child  a 
chance  to  have  his  own  theater  party. 

There  has  also  been  devised  a  folding  Succoth,  and 
a  special  Jewish  calendar  in  the  form  of  a  bookmark, 
which  is  distributed  before  Rosh  Hashona.  All  these 
toys,  however,  are  adapted  for  holidays  only.  In 
general,  it  seems  that  hohday  festivities  are  observed 
in  most  of  the  Jewish  settlements.  ^ 

4.  Activities  for  Adolescents 

If  the  Jewish  interests  are  properly  maintained  with 
the  children,  there  ought  to  be  no  difficulty  to  continue 
the   same   tendency   in   the   work   with   adolescents. 

1  Maurice  Hexter,  "Activities  of  Jewish  Settlements,"  "Jewish 
Charities,"  Vol.  IV,  No.  6. 

2 "Activities  of  Jewish  Settlements,"  Maurice  Hexter,  "Jewish 
Charities,"  January,  1914. 


26o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

However,  experience  shows  that  in  this  period,  the 
emphasis  upon  Jewish  interest  becomes  quite  difficult. 
Here  main  effort  should  be  made  to  bring  nearer  the 
young  and  the  old  generation.  It  is  during  the  adoles- 
cent period  that  the  estrangement  becomes  more 
marked  and  more  serious.  The  parents  should  be 
given  opportunities  to  join  the  recreational  affairs  of 
the  young  men  and  women.  Athletic  and  dramatic 
entertainments  where  the  young  generation  participate 
should  attract  the  older  folks.  An  effort  should  be 
made  to  have  the  young  people  anxious  to  entertain 
their  own  people,  anxious  to  please  and  to  gain  in  their 
estimation.  Naturally,  if  these  gatherings  can  bear  a 
Jewish  character,  the  more  appropriate  it  would  be, 
and  the  more  effective  would  be  its  influence.  A  public 
debate  should  preferably  be  on  Jewish  subjects;  a  play 
on  the  stage  should  deal  rather  with  Jewish  themes; 
a  ball  should  be  connected  with  some  Jewish  affair. 
This  can  be  easily  arranged,  if  the  purpose  be  kept 
clearly  in  view.  In  arranging  activities  for  the  older 
folks,  the  Jewish  feature  must  not  be  overlooked. 
Yiddish  can  be  used  to  advantage,  and  interest  shown 
to  old  customs  and  traditions  is  highly  appreciated  by 
the  older  generation. 

5.  Community  Forces 

The  Jewish  settlement  has  another  function  distinctly 
its  own,  namely,  the  interpretation  and  utilization  of 
specific  Jewish  forces  that  are  present  in  a  Jewish  com- 
munity.   The  recently  arrived  immigrants  are  social 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  261 

beings;  many  of  them,  while  strangers  in  their  new  sur- 
roundings, are  not  able  to  acquire  the  spirit  of  American 
institutions  immediately,  but  are  easily  interested  in 
social  problems  of  their  own.  They  may  be  ardently 
Orthodox,  Nationalists,  or  earnest  SociaHsts.  In  each  of 
these  cases  they  exhibit  a  desire  to  associate  with  their 
own  class  and  form  societies,  groups,  and  congregations. 
These  are  active  social  factors  in  a  community.  Their 
constituency  represents  the  best  elements  capable  of 
further  development.  It  is  the  function  of  the  Jewish 
settlement  to  do  all  it  possibly  can  to  reconcile  differ- 
ences, to  avoid  partiality,  to  break  up  intolerance,  to 
utilize  all  possible  means  to  achieve  its  purpose  of 
throwing  light  on  darkness,  shocking  inertia,  and  foster- 
ing a  healthy  and  stimulating  discontent.  It  is,  there- 
fore, important  that  the  settlement  should  participate 
in  every  movement  in  which  its  constituency  is  inter- 
ested, the  building  of  a  new  Talmud  Torah,  the  starting 
of  a  radical  center,  an  enterprize  in  behalf  of  local 
charity,  a  Zionist  undertaking,  nay,  even  the  affairs  of 
local  trade  unions, — all  these  ought  to  be  the  concern  of 
an  efficient  Jewish  settlement.  It  is  very  unfortunate 
that  the  broader  purposes  of  the  settlement  are  often 
misunderstood  by  persons  who  stand  as  leaders  in 
society  and  who  often  venture  to  criticize  the  settle- 
ment and  hamper  its  natural  development  without 
contributing  to  its  welfare.  The  lesson  of  absolute 
tolerance,  as  far  as  ideas  and  beliefs  are  concerned,  is  one 
of  the  most  important  functions  of  a  true  settlement. 
The  neighborhood  may  possess  a  number  of  tendencies 


262  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

that  may  be  contrary  to  the  ideals  that  the  American 
Jewry  would  like  to  see  it  possess,  the  entire  atmosphere 
may  be  repulsive  to  one  who  is  an  outsider,  but — with- 
out going  into  a  discussion  of  the  merits,  ideals  and  a 
criterion  of  their  proper  estimation, — the  settlement, 
as  such,  cannot  exclude  from  its  scope  the  existing 
realities,  and  as  a  true  center  of  the  neighborhood, 
ought  to  reflect  the  different  movements  that  are  ahve 
in  the  surroundings.  In  the  opinion  of  some,  the  So- 
cialists may  not  be  altogether  desirable  among  the 
immigrants,  for  the  latter,  at  the  very  start,  ought  to 
be  suffused  with  gratitude  toward  this  free  repubhc,  and 
be  perfectly  satisfied  wdth  things  that  satisfy  the  aver- 
age American.  It  is  better  that  the  immigrant  be  a 
red-hot  SociaKst  than  a  RepubHcan  or  Democrat,  full  of 
political  corruption.  But  there  is  some  justification  in 
thinking  that  the  immigrant  has  no  right  to  be  any- 
thing else  but  what  the  Americans  want  him  to  be. 
We  have  the  right  to  wish  so,  but  in  reahty,  conditions 
are  different.  The  settlement,  as  an  active  social  factor, 
has  no  right  to  consider  the  wishes  of  one  or  the  other 
class.  If  the  Zionists  exist  in  the  neighborhood,  they 
ought  to  be  welcomed  to  the  settlement.  They  should 
be  used  in  their  turn  as  an  attracting  force  to  an  element 
that  otherwise  would  become  the  prey  of  influences  of  a 
very  much  more  negative  character.  The  Sociahsts,  by 
meeting  at  the  settlement,  are  given  an  opportunity  to 
promote  their  o^vti  ideas,  at  the  same  time  learning 
something  from  their  opponents.  Nothing  but  free, 
open,  sincere  discussion  on  subjects  that  interest  the 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  263 

persons  in  question  can  clarify  the  situation  and  lead  to 
the  path  of  truth, — the  goal  of  all  true  ideals.  Restric- 
tion, exclusion,  negligence,  and  opposition,  can  never 
lead  to  beneficial  influences,  and,  on  the  contrary,  pro- 
duce a  corresponding  repelling  power. 

Giving  full  swing  to  the  different  factions  existing  in 
the  neighborhood,  the  settlement  must  be  careful  not  to 
become  an  exponent  of  a  particular  creed,  and  acquire  a 
predominant  feature  of  a  certain  tendency.  Thus, 
while  Socialists,  Zionists,  and  Orthodox,  as  well  as 
reformers,  should  find  a  place  on  the  platform  of  the 
settlement,  none  of  them  should  monopolize  the  freedom 
accorded,  and  defeat  the  very  purpose  of  a  many-sided 
view  upon  the  different  subjects  under  discussion. 

Lately,  the  subject  of  trades  unionism  has  been 
seriously  affecting  the  settlement  situation.  The 
growth  of  trades  unions  does  not  gain  in  favor  on  the 
part  of  those  who  in  their  practical  activities  would 
rather  prefer  to  handle  the  individual  workingman 
than  the  organized  body.  The  settlement  need  not  be 
the  promoter  nor  follower  of  trades  unionism,  but  as  a 
neighborhood  center,  it  must  and  should  take  an  active 
part  in  a  movement  that  affects  the  neighborhood. 
The  trades  union  meetings  in  a  settlement  are  one  of  the 
most  important  features,  and  those  that  contribute 
toward  a  settlement  should  learn  to  look  for  returns  and 
protection  to  some  other  agency.  The  settlement  can 
do  nothing  else  than  watch  the  interests  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  if  it  does  this  well  it  does  its  duty. 

Immigrants  should  not  be  considered  as  a  homoge- 


264  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

neous  unit, — they  usually  group  in  separate  classes. 
Often  those  coming  from  one  locality,  working  at  the 
same  shop,  belonging  to  the  same  organization,  are 
already  grouped  outside  of  the  settlement,  and  this 
grouping  should  be  retained  by  all  means.  It  is  ad- 
visable to  arrange  social  gatherings,  and  even  periodic 
affairs  that  will  bring  these  groups  as  a  group  to  the 
settlement.  Thus,  the  different  lodges  should  be  in- 
vited to  spend  an  evening  at  the  settlement,  the  Social- 
ists and  Zionists  should  have  their  evenings,  and  the 
representatives  of  the  synagogues  should  also  be  re- 
membered. 

C.  Religion  in  Settlements 

While  religion  among  the  Jews  plays  an  integral  part 
in  the  lives  of  the  people,  it  has  a  special  significance 
that  it  does  not  have  with  other  peoples.  To  teach 
religion,  with  the  Jews,  is  a  purpose  in  itself;  as  a  method 
of  instilling  morality,  it  never  was  used  successfully. 
The  method  of  the  Salvation  Army  to  cure  intemperance 
and  crime  through  the  medium  of  religious  conversion, 
is  strange  to  the  Jewish  spirit.  While  we  do  attempt  as 
a  matter  of  imitation  to  practice  religious  preaching  in 
prisons  and  corrective  institutions,  in  truth,  it  was  never 
taken  up  seriously  in  the  meaning  that  religion  will 
save  the  submerged.  We  naturally  want  the  great  mass 
to  be  religious ;  we  deplore  the  fact  that  religion  loses  its 
hold  upon  the  people;  we  endeavor  to  modernize  religion 
and  adapt  it  to  conditions,  so  as  to  make  it  more  attrac- 
tive to  the  modem  man  and  woman,  but  the  signifi- 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  265 

cance  of  all  this  is  beyond  the  practical  purpose  so  often 
attempted  by  non- Jewish  religions,  the  saving  of  the 
individual.  Therefore,  while  the  non- Jewish  settle- 
ments may  lay  emphasis  upon  religious  activities, 
hoping  through  this  medium  to  reach  the  individual  and 
help  him  to  conquer  his  own  weaknesses,  with  the  Jew- 
ish settlement,  the  religious  activity  loses  its  reforma- 
tory character  and  becomes  only  the  expression  of  a 
religious  demand  on  the  part  of  the  neighborhood. 
Hence,  it  seems  to  be  an  unpardonable  mistake  to 
introduce  religious  activity  that  is  not  in  accord  with 
the  religion  of  the  neighborhood.  This,  as  a  rule,  not 
only  fails  to  attract  the  neighborhood,  but  becomes  the 
cause  of  making  the  settlement  a  very  unpopular  in- 
stitution. 

The  majority  of  the  settlers  of  the  neglected  Jewish 
neighborhoods  belong  to  the  so-called  orthodox  element, 
and  it  stands  to  reason  that  their  views  should  be  con- 
sidered pre-eminently.  The  settlement  should  observ^e 
the  sabbath,  in  so  far  as  possible.  A  synagogue  of  an 
orthodox  character  with  a  few  modifications  should 
find  place  in  the  settlement,  and  while  other  services 
may  be  held  in  different  parts  of  the  building,  the  settle- 
ment, in  this  as  in  every  other  movement,  should  be  as 
liberal  as  possible.  It  should  not  become  too  closely 
associated  with  any  of  the  existing  parties.  This  prin- 
ciple is  especially  easy  to  illustrate  in  the  subject  of 
teaching  the  young.  A  modem  Cheder  on  strictly 
orthodox  basis,  where  the  children  w^ear  their  hats, 
learn  Hebrew,  and  use  the  traditional  prayer  book,  could 


266  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

and  should  be  simultaneously  conducted  with  a  sabbath 
school  of  a  modem  character.  The  success  of  either  of 
these  schools  will  easily  determine  what  is  the  true 
demand  of  the  neighborhood.  The  idea  of  neglecting 
the  Talmud  Torah  proposition  is  one  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous contradictions  in  settlement  work.  Not  at  the 
settlement,  it  will  be  somewhere  else,  and  under  less 
favorable  conditions.  Thus  the  Jewish  settlement  offers 
an  open  forum  for  the  discussion  of  specifically  Jewish 
affairs;  it  gives  its  platform  to  speakers  that  appeal  to 
its  constituency,  and  presents  different  issues  from  va- 
rious standpoints;  it  utilizes  its  stage  for  Yiddish  per- 
formances and  thus  raises  the  standard  of  the  Yiddish 
dramatic  art;  it  affords  opportunity  for  meeting  places 
for  various  groups,  including  lodges,  mutual  aid  socie- 
ties, and  so  on,  and  indirectly  instills  a  higher  and  better 
manner  of  conducting  these  affairs.  Incidentally,  the 
settlement  provides  faciUties  for  weddings  and  other 
family  gatherings,  and  thus  emphasizes  its  place  as  a  real 
neighborhood  house.  These  are  all  activities  that  could 
hardly  be  undertaken  by  any  agency  other  than  Jewish. 
Besides  these  specifically  Jewish  activities,  however, 
the  Jewish  settlement  has  the  general  problem  of  serv- 
ing the  constituency  and  doing  social  service  among  the 
neglected  neighborhood  that  needs  outside  interference 
for  its  reclamation. 

D.  Neglected  Neighborhoods 

The  term  neglected  neighborhood  is  not  fully  ap- 
preciated if  it  conveys  the  impression  of  a  neighborhood 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  267 

where  the  streets  are  narrow  and  filthy,  where  the 
houses  are  crowded,  and  are  unfit  for  human  habitation, 
where  morahty  is  Httle  guarded,  and  shiftlessness, 
lawlessness,  and  drunkenness  are  rampant.  Closer 
observation  reveals  a  very  complicated  situation.  The 
neglected  neighborhood,  though  an  adjunct  to  our 
complex  civilization,  presents  a  complete  social  imit 
by  itself.  It  is  a  state  within  a  state,  with  its  own 
needs,  its  own  missions,  its  own  problems,  and  its 
own  psychology. 

Economically,  the  neglected  neighborhood  is  de- 
prived of  the  blessings,  as  well  as  the  curses,  of  inherited 
wealth.  There  is  practically  no  capital  invested,  except 
labor,  and  this  requires  proper  application  to  condi- 
tions over  which  the  laborer  has  no  control. 

The  needs  of  the  neglected  neighborhood  are  urgent. 
They  deal  with  the  daily  bread  and  butter,  the  mere 
necessities  of  life.  The  neighborhood  is  kept  busy, 
keeping  body  and  soul  together.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  inhabitants  are  free  from  the  anxieties  of  the  rich; 
they  are  relieved  from  the  fear  of  losing  what  they 
possess.  It  would  seem  terrible  for  a  person  who 
belongs  to  the  so-called  "better  classes"  to  be  sud- 
denly transferred  into  the  position  of  the  denizen  of 
the  neglected  neighborhood.  Besides  the  unbearable 
conditions  of  actual  experience,  the  lack  of  room,  pri- 
vacy, sufiicient  food  and  clothing,  the  fears  for  to- 
morrow, the  strain  of  working  for  daily  bread  only,  and 
the  gloomy  vision  of  the  same  sunken  position  in  the 
future  would  drive  one  into  insanity. 


268  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Fortunately,  however,  nature,  history,  and  gradual 
adaptation  have  put  a  safeguard  against  a  poor  man's 
thoughts.  He  cannot  think  of  the  future, — the  present 
completely  absorbs  his  mind.  The  hard  struggle  for 
existence  leaves  little  energy  for  contemplation.  If  he 
is  equal  to  the  occasion,  he  makes  the  best  of  it;  he 
works;  he  suffers;  he  endures;  he  submerges  his  needs; 
he  saves  for  a  rainy  day,  and  eventually  succeeds  in 
climbing  up  the  ladder  to  social  achievement.  Should 
he  weaken,  he  succumbs  to  temptation,  sickness,  neg- 
lect of  duty,  or  the  transgression  of  the  strict  code  of 
morals.  These  make  him  an  object  of  charity  or  throw 
him  into  the  valley  of  sin.  There  are  innumerable 
reasons  for  the  inhabitant  of  the  neglected  neighbor- 
hood going  wrong.  The  saloon,  the  cheap  theater,  the 
comer  politician,  the  music  hall;  these  are  the  or- 
ganized forces  that  are  at  work  spreading  corruption 
and  degenerac}^  There  is  no  wonder  that  many  a 
home  is  shattered,  many  a  woman  is  led  to  a  life  of 
shame,  and  many  a  man  falls  into  the  depths  of  sin 
and  crime. 

It  is  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  that,  in  spite  of  all 
these  negative  conditions,  the  neglected  neighborhood 
does  possess  happy  homes,  balanced  and  morally  sound 
men  and  women,  beautiful  and  loving  children,  and 
human  character  endowed  with  fortitude. 

E.  Jewish  Neighborhoods 

The  neglected  Jewish  neighborhood  suffers  from 
no  inherited  economic  individual  wealth,  but  there  is 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  269 

an  inheritance  of  a  different  nature  with  which  we  have 
to  cope.  There  is  a  whole  history  behind  it  which  ex- 
plains its  present  and  shapes  its  future.  The  Jewish 
Ghetto  is  peculiar  in  this  particular  respect.  It  has  a 
pecuhar  origin  and  possesses  a  number  of  distinguish- 
ing features. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  Ghetto  are  immigrants,  who 
have  been  driven  out  of  their  own  country  by  persecu- 
tion and  oppression  because  of  their  religion.  They 
have  suffered  for  centuries  from  restriction,  political 
inequality,  and  by  gradual,  and  long  uninterrupted 
experience,  have  become  adapted  to  their  exclusive 
and  Imiited  surroundings.  But  even  then,  living  as 
they  have,  under  great  disadvantages,  they  have  not 
necessarily  represented  the  neglected  neighborhood. 
On  the  contrary,  in  Russia,  for  instance,  the  Jews, 
notwithstanding  political  restrictions  and  persecutions, 
do  not  represent  the  lowest  strata  of  society,  and  while 
on  the  whole,  poverty  among  the  Jews  is  appalling, 
still  in  the  matter  of  education,  art,  and  morals,  the 
Jews  stand  very  much  higher  than  the  peasants  and 
city  workers.  Transplanted  to  this  country  of  ours, 
and  acquiring  all  the  blessings  of  free  citizenship,  the 
immigrant,  and  especially  the  Jewish  immigrant,  finds 
new  handicaps  in  adjusting  himself  to  these  new  condi- 
tions. Relieved  of  the  political  and  economic  fetters 
that  bound  him  for  centuries,  he  faces  an  unequal 
struggle  in  the  fierce  strife  of  economic  competition. 
Having  freed  himself  from  suffering  in  his  own  country, 
he  comes  here  full  of  hope  and  expectation.     He  is 


270  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

willing  to  work  and  is  anxious  to  settle  in  his  new  home. 
He  is  industrious  and  absolutely  sober.  He  is  worse 
off  than  a  man  without  a  country;  he  is  without  a 
language.  He  is  physically  unable  to  apply  himself, 
as  other  immigrants  do,  to  rough  manual  occupations. 
He  cannot  use  his  hands  to  advantage.  He  finds  no 
field  for  commercial  enterprise,  and  is  compelled  to 
enter  the  Ghetto,  the  neglected  neighborhood.  Here 
he  becomes  the  prey  to  the  usual  deleterious  forces 
of  the  neglected  neighborhood  that  make  it  necessary 
for  the  influences  from  above  to  help  him.  The  immi- 
grant is  taken  advantage  of  by  the  greedy  employer, 
who,  on  the  basis  of  free  contract,  makes  him  work 
inhiunan  hours  for  starvation  wages.  His  wife  and 
children  are  forced  to  work  so  as  to  make  up  the  de- 
ficiency. The  congestion  of  the  Ghetto  breeds  disease, 
physical  as  well  as  moral.  The  Je\\ash  home,  the 
foundation  of  social  integrity,  is  going  to  ruin.  The 
saloon  becomes  an  attraction,  and  we  cannot  help  but 
despair  as  we  meet  with  juvenile  delinquency  and 
women's  immorality.  Sad  as  these  conditions  may 
seem,  they  are  nothing  but  attributes  of  a  neglected 
neighborhood.  In  this  case,  however,  the  situation  is 
more  promising.  The  Ghetto  is  a  neglected  neighbor- 
hood, but  it  is  different  in  many  respects  from  other 
neglected  neighborhoods. 

Intemperance,  the  cause  of  a  hundred  vices,  is,  prac- 
tically speaking,  unknown  among  the  Jews.  There 
is  little  inherited  degeneracy,  and  idleness  and  shift- 
lessness,  very  much  less  than  in  other  neighborhoods. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  271 

The  Jews  have  their  faults,  but  they  are  not  as  grave 
or  as  deeply  rooted.  It  is  remarkable  with  what  ra- 
pidity Jews  leave  the  Ghetto  and  enter  the  so-called 
higher  strata  of  society.  It  rarely  happens  that  a  Jew 
goes  back  to  the  neglected  neighborhood  once  having 
left  it,  hence  it  is  only  a  question  of  giving  the  proper 
attention  and  helping  the  immigrants  that  they  may 
protect  themselves  from  the  crushing  influences  that 
are  unavoidable  in  a  neglected  neighborhood.  Because 
of  this  hopeful  situation,  the  Jewish  Ghetto  always 
attracted  the  best  and  the  most  sincere  social  workers. 
There  is  material  worth  while  working  with.  There 
are  possibilities  that  cannot  be  found  anywhere  else. 
As  the  Ghetto  is  largely  made  up  of  immigrants,  it 
stands  to  reason  that  several  service  agencies  must 
primarily  reach  the  immigrant  and  that  as  soon  as 
possible  after  his  arrival. 

F.  The  Teaching  of  English 

The  adult  and  the  children  need  help,  need  protec- 
tion, and  if  properly  directed,  the  settlement,  through 
its  activities,  may  do  the  greatest  possible  good,  and 
in  the  matter  of  prevention,  avoid  many  a  misery. 
The  question  of  learning  English  seems  to  be  the  most 
vital  one.  In  some  cities,  the  municipalities  have  taken 
up  the  subject,  and  provide  evening  classes  for  for- 
eigners. Settlements  in  such  instances  have  justly 
given  up  this  particular  branch  of  activity  for  fear  of 
duplicating  effort.  While  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
the  evening  schools  do  an  immense  amount  of  good, 


272  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

and  do  teach  a  number  of  foreigners,  it  is  worth  while 
noticing  that  the  percentage  of  immigrants  that  avail 
themselves  of  this  opportunity  is  comparatively  small. 
A  most  striking  feature  is  the  difference  between  the 
attendance  and  registration.  It  is  usually  less  than 
fifty  per  cent,  indicating  that  over  one-half  of  those 
that  do  intend  to  learn  fail  to  attend.  Closer  observa- 
tion reveals  the  fact  that  most  of  the  settlements 
give  up  evening  classes,  not  because  they  are  unneces- 
sary but  because  they  are  not  attended.  The  subject 
of  teaching  English  to  foreigners  has  been  grossly 
neglected.  Only  recently  have  we  begun  to  have  books 
published  for  this  purpose.  We  still  have  no  authori- 
ties in  regard  to  it.  The  teachers,  if  not  volunteers, 
are  employed  only  a  part  of  the  time,  and  what  is  more 
striking,  the  subject  is  seldom  discussed.  While  every- 
one has  difficulties,  on  the  whole,  we  seem  to  be  satis- 
fied and  feel  that  nothing  more  can  be  done.  It  is 
true  that  thousands  of  immigrants  who  do  not  learn 
EngUsh  rapidly,  suffer  continuously  on  account  of 
it,  and  after  years  of  residence  in  the  United  States, 
still  need  an  interpreter.  If  the  settlement  were  to 
conduct  a  model  class  of  teaching  English,  it  would 
gradually  become  a  subject  for  consideration,  and  the 
methods  might  have  been  adopted  by  the  municipality. 
In  this  direction  settlements  can  continue  the  work, 
without  fear  of  duplicating  effort. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  273 

G.  Employment 
The  immigrant,  on  his  arrival,  must  first  of  all  solve 
the  problem  of  his  maintenance;  he  must  find  employ- 
ment; as  a  rule  he  is  at  a  loss  what  to  undertake,  and  is 
eager  to  get  advice  and  assistance  in  this  particular 
respect.  Unfortunately,  the  advice  given  by  his  own 
countrymen  is  not  always  good,  and  is  dictated  often  by 
ulterior  motives.  The  existing  employment  agencies,  as 
a  rule,  are  connected  with  a  purely  charitable  agency, 
and  conduct  their  work  perfunctorily.  The  settlements, 
until  lately,  neglected  this  most  important  problem, 
and  while  in  individual  cases  immigrants  are  assisted  in 
getting  positions,  this  usually  has  been  done  haphaz- 
ardly, and  without  much  consideration.  In  connection 
with  this  employment  proposition,  a  vocational  guid- 
ance bureau  should  be  conducted,  where  the  immigrants 
might  be  assisted  to  gain  the  positions  for  which  they 
are  best  adapted.  The  problem  of  making  the  immi- 
grant efiicient  would  lead  to  the  estabhshment  of  edu- 
cational agencies,  as  well  as  to  their  better  use.  The 
question  of  housing  the  immigrant  is  also  a  direct 
problem  of  the  Jewish  settlement.  While  the  general 
problem  of  housing  in  the  neglected  neighborhood  is  too 
stupendous  to  be  handled  by  any  private  agency,  still 
the  settlement  ought  to  initiate  the  movement  and  do 
its  share  in  the  promotion  of  proper  housing  facilities. 
Thus,  homes  for  girls  and  hotels  for  single  men,  success- 
fully started  in  many  cities  by  non- Jewish  agencies 
should  be  attempted  by  the  Jewish  settlements.  The 
wrongs   and   unnecessary   inconveniences   caused   by 


274  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

private  boarding  are  too  numerous  to  be  mentioned. 
Let  it  suffice  to  say  that  there  is  a  demand  for  such  an 
enterprize  and  that  the  settlement  would  be  a  proper 
agency  to  initiate  such  a  movement.  The  building  of 
model  tenements,  as  well  as  the  supervision  of  homes,  is 
also  a  legitimate  function  of  a  settlement. 

The  health  problem,  in  general,  including  medical 
service,  is  one  of  the  most  important  activities  that  a 
settlement  should  undertake,  especially  if  the  existing 
agencies  fall  short  of  adequacy.^ 

In  some  instances,  the  work  of  a  legal  aid  society  has 
been  very  popular  with  the  settlements.  The  subject 
of  legal  aid  in  connection  with  Jewish  agencies  was 
presented  at  the  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Char- 
ities in  St.  Louis  in  1908.  Miss  Minnie  Low  gave  a 
thorough  exposition  of  the  intricate  legal  problems  that 
confront  the  Jewish  social  worker. 

In  Baltimore,  a  Jewish  Court  of  Arbitration  was 
organized  in  19 13,  deahng  with  all  cases  except  those 
in  which  the  law  of  the  state  will  not  permit  arbitra- 
tion. ^ 

The  subject  of  social  gatherings  should  be  considered. 
The  immigrant,  after  all,  is  a  human  being,  and  has  a 
very  active  tendency  for  social  intercourse.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  saloon,  the  private  music  hall,  the  meeting 
hall,  are  not  always  proper  places  for  the  immigrant. 
It  is,  therefore,  absolutely  necessary  that  the  settlement 
should  become  the  gathering  place  for  the  adult  immi- 

'  "The  House  on  Henry  Street,"  Lillian  Wald,  New  York,  1915. 
2 "  Jewish  Court  of  Arbitration,"  "  Jewish  Charities,"  May,  1913. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  275 

grant.  Entertainments,  musicales,  and  dramatic  per- 
formances must  be  of  a  high  order  in  order  to  compete 
with  the  cheap  shows  so  prevalent  in  a  neglected  neigh- 
borhood. A  mistake  is  often  committed  in  under- 
estimating the  aesthetic  understanding  and  artistic 
sense  of  the  masses, — especially  of  the  Jewish  masses. 
While  poor  and  unsightly  in  their  appearance,  the  large 
majority  of  them  have  had  an  opportunity  to  hear  and 
appreciate  good  music  and  highly  artistic  presentations 
of  dramatic  art;  a  settlement  makes  a  wrong  move  in 
assuming  that  all  that  the  masses  want  is  laughter  and 
light  entertainment.  Such  an  attitude  discredits  the 
attempt  to  uphft  the  masses,  and  while  it  may  lead  to 
an  increased  attendance,  it  will  lower  the  taste,  and  is 
therefore  negative  work  and  should  not  be  encouraged. 
The  classic  concert  or  the  carefully  staged  dramatic 
performance  may  not  draw  at  first  as  large  a  crowd  as  a 
vulgar  vaudeville,  but  its  influence,  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, is  important,  and  as  a  rule,  is  the  pride  of  even 
those  who  do  not  attend  it.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the 
recently  arrived  immigrant  is  more  appreciative  of 
true  art  than  those  who  have  lived  here  for  some  time. 
Probably  this  is  due  to  our  neglect  of  art,  the  substi- 
tution wherever  possible  of  classic  music  by  ragtime, 
drama  by  vaudeville,  and  similar  "stunts."  This  loss 
of  the  artistic  sense  on  the  part  of  the  immigrant  is  one 
of  the  saddest  phenomena  in  the  process  of  Americaniza- 
tion. 


276  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

H.  True  Americanization 
The  practice  of  teaching  Americanism  by  patriotic 
exercises  and  bhnd  enthusiasm  is  not  only  futile  but  is 
absolutely  harmful.  The  immigrant  is  naturally  dis- 
appointed in  his  hopes  of  finding  paradise  in  his  new 
country.  He  cannot  help  seeing  from  the  very  first  how 
the  ideal  of  true  democracy  is  laughed  at  and  ridiculed 
in  reality.  The  type  of  the  policeman  does  not  suggest 
to  him  the  ideal  of  American  citizenship.  He  does  not 
meet  Washingtons,  Jeffersons,  Lincolns,  and  the  like. 
In  his  little  sphere  he  sees  little  justice,  and  finds  an 
immense  amount  of  dehberate  untruth.  It  is  natural 
that  the  talk  concerning  the  glorious  liberty  of  this 
country  falls  upon  his  ears  as  mockery.  To  get  him 
enthusiastic  concerning  the  American  flag,  and  instill 
patriotic  spirit  to  the  tune  of  "My  Country"  is  difficult 
as  long  as  the  Stars  and  Stripes  are  trampled  by  unclean 
feet,  and  the  country's  soul  sold  to  grafters.  It  is 
easier,  however,  to  get  the  immigrant  to  appreciate  the 
true  blessings  of  this  country,  not  by  speaking  and 
singing  and  marching  and  shooting  firecrackers,  but  by 
actual  facts  of  true  democracy.  Give  him  a  chance  to 
make  an  honest  living;  pay  him  a  living  wage;  present 
to  him  an  opportunity  for  the  so  much  talked  about 
right  of  the  pursuit  of  happiness;  keep  him  away  from 
the  selfish  politician;  help  him  to  discriminate  between 
his  friend  and  his  enemy;  protect  him  from  the  evil 
influences  of  corrupt  democracy;  exhibit  the  American 
virtues  as  conspicuously  as  you  exhibit  its  shortcomings 
and  faults,  and  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  get  an  expres- 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  277 

sion  of  true  patriotism,  based  upon  a  deep-rooted 
appreciation  of  all  the  blessings  that  the  immigrant 
can  acquire  in  this  country. 

The  right  method,  therefore,  in  this  case,  as  in  all 
other  cases,  is  the  "truth"  method.  The  immigrant 
would  be  interested  in  the  wrongs  that  are  so  vivid  to 
him  if  his  co-operation  were  solicited  for  their  correc- 
tion. If  you  interest  him  in  municipal  leagues,  in  the 
questions  of  to-day,  without  trying  to  paint  them  in 
rosy  colors,  if  you  acquaint  him  with  the  best  efforts  of 
American  citizenship,  he  will  become  attached  to  the 
country  and  his  patriotism  will  be  natural  and  not 
forced.  Do  not  expect  the  immigrant  to  be  better, 
however,  than  the  average  American.  This  is  true  not 
only  in  his  political  life  but  in  his  private  life  also,  and 
refers  to  the  manners  and  customs  with  which  we  have 
so  little  patience.  The  immigrant,  as  a  rule,  is  timid, 
and  does  not  mean  to  be  impolite.  His  ways,  however, 
may  be  quite  different  from  ours,  and  it  takes  a  little 
time  before  he  acquires  ours  by  imitation.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  example  set  is  sometimes  misleading. 
Our  code  of  etiquette  is  getting  so  complicated  that 
even  the  born  American  must  take  special  care  on 
occasion  to  follow  a  certain  routine  which  changes  with 
time  and  place.  In  the  settlement,  we  are  often  enforc- 
ing an  exceptionally  high  standard  of  etiquette.  Take 
for  instance  the  question  of  taking  off  hats.  While  the 
American  fellow  is  permitted  to  keep  his  hat  on  when- 
ever he  pleases,  we  are  painfully  anxious  that  the  immi- 
grant should  have  his  hat  off.    The  best  method  of 


278  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

having  the  immigrant  take  off  his  hat  is  to  have  a  check 
room,  where  everyone  can  deposit  hat  and  coat  and 
save  much  annoyance. 

I.  Expansion  of  Activities 

The  recently  arrived  immigrant,  within  a  compara- 
tively short  time,  becomes  imbued  with  the  American 
spirit,  and  in  his  turn,  looks  with  scorn  upon  the 
''Greener."  In  the  majority  of  instances,  he  does  not 
care  to  associate  with  him,  and  is  especially  averse  to 
the  possibility  of  being  classed  in  one  group  with  him. 
Thus,  in  this  stage  of  development,  the  immigrant 
gradually  ceases  to  attend  the  settlement,  though  in 
the  beginning,  he  may  have  been  a  frequent  visitor. 
This  is  a  very  deplorable  condition,  and  an  effort 
should  be  made  to  retain  this  constituency.  The  in- 
fluence of  those  who  have,  so  to  say,  graduated  from 
the  first  stage,  is  important,  as  regards  the  new  con- 
stituency, and  the  settlement  ought  to  remain  a  per- 
manent factor.  Naturally,  in  order  to  achieve  this 
particular  purpose,  the  settlement  should  extend  and 
modify  the  character  of  its  activities.  Features  that 
may  attract  the  newly  arrived  immigrant  may  have 
no  value  for  the  person  who  has  already  gone  through 
the  metamorphosis  of  first  adaptation.  Lectures  by 
prominent  persons,  organizations  of  some  definite 
character, — Socialist,  Zionist,  and  those  even  of  a 
purely  political  nature,  should  find  place  in  the  settle- 
ment. Entertainments,  socials,  and  musicales,  will 
serve  this  purpose,  but  better  still,  enterprizes  pre- 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  279 

supposing  some  financial  standing  should  be  encour- 
aged. Building  loan  societies,  Gemilath  Chesed  Asso- 
ciations, local  philanthropic  societies  outside  of  the 
organized  charities,  co-operative  ventures,  agricultural 
ventures,  and  so  on,  are  of  inestimable  value. 

The  time  comes  when  the  immigrant  craves  for  the 
association  with  the  American.  This,  however,  is  a 
most  precarious  step.  In  the  majority  of  instances, 
the  immigrant  is  not  in  a  position  to  make  connec- 
tions with  people  of  a  higher  class.  He  usually  stoops, 
and  invariably  falls  to  a  lower  strata  of  society.  It  is, 
therefore,  of  the  utmost  importance,  that  the  settle- 
ment should  offer  the  opportunity,  especially  for  the 
younger  people,  to  come  together  and  meet  in  an 
American  atmosphere.  At  this  stage  of  the  game, 
dancing,  socials,  athletic  games,  pool  tables,  should 
be  initiated,  and  clubs  of  a  social  character  encouraged. 
Men  and  women,  popular  in  American  life,  capable  of 
entertaining  as  well  as  instructing,  should  be  recruited 
into  service,  and  special  effort  should  be  made  to  make 
the  settlement  attractive  to  this  class  of  people.  This 
is  sufficient  reason  for  the  maintenance  of  classes, 
provided  there  is  a  demand  for  them,  in  cooking, 
sewing,  mechanical  and  free  hand  drawing,  millinery, 
singing  and  music,  piano,  violin,  and  mandolin,  as  well 
as  trade  school  classes.  These  activities  will  attract, 
also,  the  second  generation,  a  strictly  American  popu- 
lation. 


28o  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

J.  Children's  Work 
In  the  work  with  the  children,  the  public  schools, 
in  a  large  majority  of  cases,  cover  the  entire  scope  of 
education,  and  it  is  only  in  specific  instances  that 
school  work  must  be  supplemented.  The  function  of 
the  settlement  in  the  work  with  the  children  should 
be  mainly,  if  not  exclusively,  directed  toward  counter- 
acting negative  influences  of  the  home  and  street.  The 
settlement  should  give  ample  opportunity  for  child's 
play,  play  to  which  every  child  is  entitled,  and  of 
which  he  is  deprived  in  a  neglected  neighborhood.  A 
gymnasium,  where  the  children  have  the  opportunity 
to  play  basket  ball  and  indoor  baseball,  to  dance  and 
to  romp,  is  a  necessary  adjunct  of  a  settlement.  En- 
tertainments, musicales,  picture  shows,  are  legitimate 
and  very  desirable  activities  for  the  good  of  the  chil- 
dren. The  smaller  children  should  be  given  a  chance 
to  play  games,  and  special  playrooms  well  equipped 
with  toys  and  apparatus,  are  helpful.  The  same  pur- 
pose should  dominate  in  the  clubs,  organized  for,  and 
by  children.  In  this,  as  well  as  in  mere  play,  the  chil- 
dren should  have  instilled  in  them,  indirectly,  a  number 
of  moral  precepts,  or  rather  precepts  of  conduct,  that 
they  may  miss  otherwise.  The  child  needs  somebody 
to  direct  him,  to  lead  him;  he  wants  to  follow  and  wiU 
follow;  he  craves  companionship  and  under  proper 
supervision  learns  to  appreciate  not  only  his  own  in- 
terests but  the  interests  of  others.  The  child's  in- 
stincts, left  to  nature,  would  probably,  as  Rousseau 
said,  make  him  perfect.    Unfortunately,  the  child  of  a 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  281 

neglected  neighborhood  is  not  left  to  nature,  and  it 
requires  powerful  agencies  to  overcome  the  wrong  in- 
fluences to  which  every  child  is  subjected. 

Notwithstanding  the  lessons  taught  at  school,  the 
child  is  in  need  of  an  additional  factor  to  instil  in  him 
the  virtue  of  cleanliness.  In  all  the  departments  of 
the  settlement,  cleanliness  should  be  the  first  and  the 
most  important  lesson  taught  the  children.  No  child 
should  be  permitted  to  come  to  the  settlement  unless 
it  passes  a  satisfactory  standard  of  cleanliness.  The 
gospel  of  physical  strength  should  also  be  a  living 
principle.  Physical  culture  should  be  strongly  em- 
phasized; classes  in  gymnastics,  games,  dances,  and 
physical  exercises  should  be  encouraged.  A  child  of  a 
neglected  neighborhood  often  needs  a  friend.  The 
teacher  may  be  too  busy  to  give  him  proper  attention; 
the  mother  and  father  may  be  too  busy  to  understand 
the  child,  and  here  is  where  the  settlement  can  be  of 
inestimable  value.  Each  child  attending  the  settle- 
ment should  have  at  least  one  person  interested  in 
him,  and  intimate  enough  with  him  that  the  child 
may  come  at  any  time  for  advice,  help,  or  just  a  little 
chat. 

While  physical  welfare  and  cleanliness  refer  to  the 
welfare  of  the  individual,  there  are  other  lessons  to 
be  impressed  upon  the  child's  life.  These  are  his  rela- 
tions to  the  outer  world,  his  conduct  in  relation  to 
others,  his  life  with  others.  Play  is  a  wonderful  factor 
in  transmitting  these  lessons.  Make-believe  conditions 
are  just  as  good  as  reality.    The  club  is  a  splendid  me- 


282  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

dium.  The  child,  coming  together  with  other  children, 
under  the  proper  leadership,  may  become  less  selfish 
and  more  considerate  of  the  rights  of  his  fellow  play- 
mates. The  natural  interests  of  the  child  should  be 
taken  into  consideration.  A  children's  club  should 
be  distinguished  from  a  class  by  the  fact  that  it  is 
practically  speaking  self-governing,  and  the  work  is 
chosen  by  the  children,  or  at  least,  with  their  consent. 
The  less  difi&culty  a  leader  has  in  disciplining  the  chil- 
dren, the  better  are  the  results. 

K.  Specialization 

In  some  settlements,  one  particular  feature  has  been 
emphasized  and  become  the  central  function  of  the 
entire  activity.  Thus,  the  Henry  Street  Settlement 
is  known  as  the  Nurses'  Settlement.  There  are  special 
musical  settlements.  Special  notice  should  be  given 
to  the  Graphic  Sketch  Club  in  Philadelphia,  which  is 
an  art  settlement.  This  center  was  founded  in  1896 
by  Mr.  Samuel  S.  Fleisher.  He  explains  its  origin  as 
follows:  "In  19 10  I  wandered  about  the  southern 
section  of  the  city.  I  became  acquainted  with  the 
gray  aimless  life  of  the  boys  and  girls  who  toil  all  day 
in  the  shop  or  factory,  where  life  means  work  and  sleep 
and  again  work,  where  there  are  no  amusements,  save 
the  common  dance  hall  and  the  cheap  theater.  I  felt 
the  horrors  of  it.  I  once  happened  to  see  classes  in- 
structed at  the  college  settlement  in  the  making  of 
shirtwaists,  and  I  asked  myself  if  there  was  not  some- 
thing better,  something  more  elevating,  after  the  day 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  283 

already  spent  in  drudgery.  I  decided  that  an  art  class 
would  be  a  worthy  experiment.  I  wanted  to  try.  I 
wished  to  see  if  the  mind  of  the  working  boy  or  girl 
was  capable  of  something  better.  A  brief  experience 
where  we  had  our  first  quarters  assured  me  that  all 
these  boys  and  girls  needed  was  a  chance.  They  un- 
doubtedly had  capacity  for  culture  and  the  will  to 
develop  it."  ^ 

The  home  of  the  Graphic  Art  Club  is  capacious. 
Class,  exhibition,  and  recreation  rooms  for  both  sexes, 
are  splendidly  equipped.  A  dozen  or  more  competent 
instructors,  pursuing  their  professions  outside,  compose 
the  teaching  staff.  Instruction  is  given  in  painting, 
sculpture,  illustrating,  modelling  and  practically  every 
branch  of  fine  art.  The  school  has  about  two  hundred 
fifty  students  of  all  races  and  colors.  Annually  an  ex- 
hibition of  work  done  by  the  pupils  is  given.  Prizes 
and  scholarships  are  then  awarded.  That  the  work 
is  often  of  high  merit  is  attested  to  by  the  fact  that  the 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts  has  thus  far  awarded  twenty-six 
free  American  scholarships  to  the  students.  Eleven  of 
the  recipients  were  later  awarded  European  scholar- 
ships. 

The  club  has  a  social  side  as  well  as  an  educational 
one.  Three  clubs  among  the  students  exist,  each  with 
its  own  tea  and  club  room.  The  entire  house  is  taste- 
fully decorated  and  contains  many  fine  and  rare  pieces 
of  art,  the  work  of  students  and  others.  In  order  that 
a  taste  for  the  aesthetic  be  cultivated  among  the  poor 

1 "  The  Power  of  Art  Revised,"  "  Jewish  Charities,"  October,  1911. 


284  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

of  the  neighborhood,  visitors  to  the  school  are  not 
only  welcomed  but  encouraged.  The  instruction  is 
free  and  the  entire  expense  is  borne  by  the  founder. 

The  club  is  not  only  a  successful  venture,  but  serves 
as  an  impetus  to  promote  art  through  settlements,  a 
departure  noticed  all  over  the  country. 

L.  Politics  in  the  Settlement 

Besides  strictly  constructive  and  educational  work, 
a  settlement  is  constantly  counteracting  influences  of 
a  negative  character.  The  saloon,  the  questionable 
dancing  hall,  the  gambling  joint,  are  forces  that  the 
properly  conducted  settlement  is  openly  opposing, 
fighting,  and  trying  to  minimize  by  offering  better  and 
more  wholesome  attractions.  Even  the  picture  shows, 
as  usually  conducted,  find  in  the  settlement  a  bitter 
enemy  and  a  powerful  competitor. 

In  the  questions  bearing  upon  political  issues,  the 
settlements,  as  a  rule,  are  very  careful,  and  in  a  large 
majority  of  cases,  remain  indifferent.  It  is  not  a  secret, 
however,  that  in  a  neglected  neighborhood,  the  pro- 
fessional politician  is  rather  unscrupulous  in  getting 
votes,  and  for  him  the  influences  that  wreck  and  cor- 
rupt the  neighborhood  are  just  as  good,  if  not  better, 
than  those  that  strengthen  it.  In  the  Jewish  Ghetto, 
the  situation  is  especially  deplorable.  The  immigrant, 
after  he  is  naturalized,  in  addition  to  the  duties  of  an 
American  citizen,  carries  the  responsibility  of  main- 
taining the  reputation  of  the  Jewish  foreigner;  upon 
his  conduct  depends  the  attitude  toward  the  newcomer; 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  285 

his  individual  wrongdoings  are  usually  interpreted  as 
an  organic  fault  of  the  entire  class  to  which  he  belongs. 
It  has  been  repeatedly  proved  that  the  native-bom 
Americans  have  betrayed  political  freedom;  corrupted 
politics  are  by  no  means  limited  to  neighborhoods 
inhabited  by  foreign-bom  citizens,  and  still  the  cry 
that  the  immigrant  is  an  undesirable  citizen  is  fre- 
quently made.  The  Jewish  settlements  have  rather 
exaggerated  the  need  for  Americanizing  the  recently 
arrived  immigrant,  and  have  neglected  to  guard  him 
just  at  the  time  when  he  is  receiving  the  right  to  vote, 
and  can  exercise  his  power  either  to  the  good  or  detri- 
ment of  the  community. 

The  Jewish  immigrant  is  eager  to  leam  his  new  sur- 
roundings; he  shows  a  remarkable  interest  in  the  in- 
tricacies of  American  government,  and  takes  to  heart 
the  issues  of  the  day.  The  settlements,  in  this  respect, 
have  done  commendable  work  by  arranging  lectures, 
debates,  and  discussions,  but  little  by  little,  the  immi- 
grant becomes  the  prey  of  other  influences.  He  begins 
to  be  more  sceptical  as  to  the  possibility  of  adjusting 
his  theories  to  practice.  The  stmggle  for  existence 
leaves  little  room  for  any  other  serious  interest  but 
his  own  narrow,  personal  sphere.  He  becomes  indif- 
ferent to  social  conditions.  This  is  the  time  when  the 
settlement  loses  him;  he  joins  lodges,  clubs,  and  so  on. 
The  professional  politician  takes  hold  of  him.  His 
political  standing  as  a  voter  now  counts.  The  settle- 
ment fails  to  take  part  in  this  important  issue,  and  the 
newly  made  citizen  is  not  only  left  to  himself,  but  still 


286  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

worse,  he  is  open  to  interests  that  are  utiKzing  him  for 
selfish  purposes,  and  often  as  a  means  to  his  own  degra- 
dation.   His  poUtical  freedom  is  gone. 

Only  lately,  with  the  new  law  of  naturalization  in 
force,  have  classes  in  citizenship  been  organized  in  the 
different  Jewish  educational  agencies.  New  York, 
Cleveland,  Chicago,  Baltimore,  Boston,  and  Cin- 
cinnati report  very  successful  attempts  in  this  direc- 
tion. Usually,  however,  these  classes  deal  with  general 
civics  only,  and  the  instruction  is  limited  to  the  formal 
preparation  for  the  examination  conducted  by  the 
United  States  Court.  In  Cleveland,  an  effort  has  been 
made  to  overthrow  a  poHtical  boss  in  the  Jewish 
neighborhood,  the  proprietor  of  a  local  saloon.  Credit 
should  be  given  to  Judge  Emanuel  Levine  who  initiated 
this  movement  and  brought  it  to  a  successful  issue; 
but  even  there  the  question  has  been  raised  whether  the 
settlement  has  the  right  to  meddle  with  local  politics. 

An  indirect  attempt  to  combat  local  political  agen- 
cies of  a  questionable  character  was  made  in  Chicago 
by  Dr.  David  Blaustein.  The  results  were,  however, 
less  successful.  In  other  cities,  the  settlements  and 
educational  centers  are  trying  to  avoid  political  issues. 
This  indifference  on  the  part  of  the  settlement  is  largely 
due  to  the  fact  that  their  contributors  and  supporters 
do  not  belong  to  the  same  party,  and  consequently  the 
settlement  is  unable  to  take  a  position  without  creating 
opposition  among  its  own  subscribers.  There  is  still 
another  more  valid  reason  for  the  attitude  of  settle- 
ments   to    local  poUtics,    and    that    is    the   fear   of 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  287 

antagonizing  the  neighborhood  and  thus  losing  its 
patronage. 

A  Jewish  settlement  in  particular  should  be  careful 
in  taking  up  a  political  issue,  for  it,  as  a  rule,  represents 
not  only  a  neighborhood,  but,  in  a  certain  degree,  the 
Jewish  interests  of  the  city,  and  in  this  respect  it  carries 
additional  responsibihties.  There  is  not  and  should 
not  be  a  compact  Jewish  vote,  and  no  matter  what  side 
the  settlement  takes,  it  does  not  represent  the  true 
situation,  invariably  creating  misunderstandings.  This 
being  true  in  regard  to  a  Jewish  settlement  is  also  true 
in  regard  to  any  effort  to  organize  a  Jewish  political 
group.  Unfortunately,  the  politicians  do  not  worry 
about  ultimate  outcome,  and  as  a  rule  are  organizing 
Jewish  political  clubs  with  a  definite  party  feature. 
Their  unscrupulous  methods  are  often  responsible  for 
a  number  of  evil  conditions  in  the  neighborhood.  Their 
influence  can  be  fought  only  at  the  polls;  their  power 
can  be  taken  only  by  an  active  agitation,  and  no  argu- 
ments but  the  ballot  can  do  this. 

The  time  has  come  when  something  will  have  to  be 
done  in  protecting  the  Jewish  neglected  neighborhoods 
from  corrupting,  organized  political  agencies. 

In  1902,  the  Jewish  Educational  Alliance  of  St. 
Louis  offered  its  auditorium  to  political  discussion. 
Various  political  parties  were  invited  to  send  speakers 
to  present  the  issues  from  their  standpoints.  Four 
separate  evenings  were  arranged,  accommodating  the 
four  parties.  These  meetings,  outside  of  the  one  ar- 
ranged by  the  Socialists,  were  poorly  attended.    The 


288  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

administration,  however,  did  not  consider  this  venture 
a  failure.  ^ 

M.  Co-operation 
It  seems  that  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  task  is 
to  get  the  co-operation  of  the  neighborhood,  especially 
in  matters  of  practical,  local,  civic  importance.  A 
successful  experiment  of  this  kind  was  attempted  in 
Baltimore,  where  the  Jewish  Educational  Alliance 
undertook  to  fight  the  existence  of  disorderly  houses 
that  for  twenty  years  had  been  permitted  to  flourish 
in  the  very  midst  of  respectable  East  Baltimore,  the 
downtown  Jewish  section.  This  could  not  be  done 
without  the  co-operation  of  the  entire  community. 
A  mass  meeting  was  called,  and  a  petition,  signed  by 
one  hundred  persons,  was  presented  to  the  court,  but 
the  result  was  still  unsatisfactory.  A  pubHcity  cam- 
paign was  started.  The  synagogues,  the  clubs,  the 
lodges,  and  the  Jewish  press  were  utilized.  Then 
another  mass  meeting  was  called,  and  a  petition,  got 
up  and  endorsed  by  different  organizations,  was  pre- 
pared. The  non- Jewish  constituency  joined  the  move- 
ment for  a  clean  neighborhood.  A  non-sectarian  gather- 
ing, representing  every  element  in  the  community, — 
members  of  the  gospel,  the  rabbis,  the  citizens,  Jew  and 
non- Jew, — all  formed  a  compact  group,  and  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  bringing  this  issue  to  a  successful  conclusion.  ^ 

1  "Politics  in  the  Settlement,"  Oscar  Leonard,  "  Jewish  Charities," 
November,  1912. 

2 "  Neighborhood  Co-operation  in  Baltimore,"  Max  Carton,  "  Jew- 
ish Charities,"  October,  1912. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  289 

N.  Difficulties  of  a  Jewish  Settlement 
The  settlement  must  be  careful  not  to  duplicate 
undertakings  of  other  agencies,  and  must  not  interfere 
with  the  activities  of  a  relief  society.  It  must  be  on 
guard  not  to  duplicate  the  activities  of  public  schools, 
and  so  on.  There  is  an  idea  in  vogue  that  the  main 
function  of  a  settlement  is  to  be  merely  the  herald  of 
new  movements,  and  that  as  soon  as  the  latter  are 
taken  up  by  other  agencies,  and  especially  by  municipal 
institutions,  the  settlement  must  cease  its  participation 
in  that  particular  field,  considering  its  mission  fulfilled. 
This  has  been  the  case  in  many  cities,  with  kinder- 
gartens which  had  been  deemed  a  part  and  parcel  of 
the  settlement;  in  some  places  the  libraries  were  given 
up  as  soon  as  the  municipalities  had  made  ample  pro- 
vision in  the  particular  neighborhood. 

Lately,  since  the  public  schools  have  begun  to  con- 
duct classes  in  English  for  foreigners,  this  has  become 
an  unnecessary  adjunct  of  a  settlement.  With  the 
introduction  of  public  dance  halls,  and  the  spread  of 
the  wider  use  of  our  public  school  plants,  other  ac- 
tivities will  have  to  be  transferred.  Thus  the  char- 
acter of  activities  in  the  settlement  is  constantly 
changing. 

O.  Juvenile  Delinquency 
Juvenile  delinquency  among  Jews  is  a  new  phenom- 
enon.   The  idea  that  the  immigrant  child  or  the  child 
born  of  foreign  parents  constitutes  a  large  percentage 
among  the  juvenile  delinquents  is  not  always  correct. 


290  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Investigation  reveals  that  the  Jews  do  not  show  a 
larger  number  of  criminals,  proportionally,  than  any 
other  social  group.  In  Manhattan,  in  which,  according 
to  the  last  Census  23.5  per  cent  of  the  population  is 
Jewish,  of  the  seven  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
twenty-one  boys  arraigned  in  the  children's  court,  only 
one  thousand  five  hundred  and  fifty-eight  or  19.9  per 
cent  were  Jews.^  Jewish  communities,  however,  are 
quite  concerned  with  this  new  situation.  As  far  as  the 
punitive  and  correctional  measures  are  concerned,  gen- 
eral agencies  like  the  juvenile  court  and  the  reform 
schools  are  utilized.  However,  additional  effort  is  ex- 
erted in  providing  specifically  Jewish  factors  capable 
of  coping  with  the  growth  of  this  negative  feature  of 
Jewish  life.  There  is  only  one  Jewish  reformatory  for 
boys  in  the  country,  the  Jewish  Protectory,  established 
in  Hawthorne,  New  York,  in  1907. 

The  question  is  still  open  as  to  the  need  of  specific 
Jewish  institutions  for  Jewish  juvenile  dehnquents. 
In  1908,  at  the  National  Conference  of  Jev/ish  Chari- 
ties, Rabbi  George  Zepin  advocated  the  establishment 
of  an  intermunicipal  institution  for  Jewish  delinquent 
children.  Judge  Julian  W.  Mack  vigorously  objected 
to  this  plan,  and  insisted  that  the  state  institutions 
ought  to  handle  this  problem. 

In  191 1,  Miss  Minnie  Low  expressed  her  disbehef 

in  the  need  of  a  Jewish  reformatory  for  girls.    Outside 

of  institutional  care,  a  great  deal  of  work  is  done  with 

children  paroled  by  the  courts  and  those  that  require 

^  "  Jewish  Charities,"  Vol.  VI,  No.  7,  p.  109. 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  291 

special  supervision.  There  are  a  number  of  juvenile 
court  protective  associations  under  Jewish  auspices. 
The  Council  of  Jewish  Women  does  considerable  work 
in  this  direction.  The  Philadelphia  Juvenile  Aid 
Society  places  a  number  of  children  in  the  Jewish 
colonies  in  New  Jersey. 

The  most  comprehensive  program  dealing  with 
juvenile  delinquency  is  presented  in  the  work  done  by 
the  Personal  Service  Bureau  of  Chicago.  For  the  year 
191 5,  seven  hundred  and  seventy-six  cases  of  juvenile 
delinquency  were  handled  through  this  organization. 
The  manner  in  which  they  handle  delinquency  among 
girls  is  quite  impressive.  Miss  Low  described  their 
activities  as  follows : 

"We  directed  special  attention  to  the  so-called  in- 
corrigible type.  Insolence,  disobedience,  defiance  of 
parental  authority,  bad  language,  late  hours,  are  all 
forerunners  of  dehnquency,  culminating  in  the  one 
fatal  step  from  which  we  would  fain  save  every  girl. 
We  interested  some  of  our  good  women  in  the  '  border- 
line' cases.  By  giving  such  girls  a  chance  under  better 
environment,  taking  them  away  from  homes  of  grinding 
poverty,  where  the  parents  have  lost  control  over  them, 
and  providing  new  interests  for  them,  it  has  been  possi- 
ble to  reduce  the  number  in  our  city  and  state  training 
schools  more  than  seventy-five  per  cent.  Friendly 
supervision,  guiding  influence,  firmness  and  discipline 
were  the  doses  prescribed  in  new  homes  with  improved 
living  conditions.  In  place  of  turning  incorrigible  girls 
back  to  homes  where  friction,  discord,  discontent,  and 


292  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

often  grinding  poverty  made  life  intolerable,  results 
have  been  most  satisfactory.  Very  few  failures  have 
attended  our  efforts. 

"  Three  agents  were  employed  as  outlets  for  the  plans 
indicated.  First,  the  sympathy  of  kindly  women  was 
enlisted.  These  women  represented,  principally,  the 
directorates  of  our  small  boarding  clubs.  When  it  was 
necessary  to  remove  from  her  surroundings  a  girl  who 
was  fast  traveling  the  downward  path,  one  who  was  still 
a  saving  proposition — we  stated  our  troubles  to  these 
good  women.  They  entered  fully  into  the  spirit  of 
things,  and  made  it  possible  for  us  to  place  some  of  our 
high-strung,  emotional,  unmanageable  girls  in  their  well- 
equipped  and  well-regulated  hom.es.  The  Ruth  Club 
deserves  special  mention,  because  its  policies  and  meth- 
ods are  slightly  different  from  those  of  the  ordinary 
boarding  clubs  for  girls.  A  searching  study  is  made  of 
the  peculiar  needs  of  each  individual  girl  by  the  superin- 
tendent, Mrs.  Clara  Reiss.  Her  marvelous  personal 
influence  and  big-hearted  sisterly  interest  have  helped 
many  a  girl  to  keep  morally  strong,  and  grow  up  into 
useful  womanhood.  The  Board  of  Directors  provides  a 
personal  friend  for  each  girl.  This  friend  makes  it 
possible  for  the  girl  to  get  the  necessary  vocational 
guidance  and  training  that  will  equip  her  for  self- 
support.  When  she  earns  from  twelve  dollars  to 
twenty  dollars  a  week,  as  some  of  them  do  after  a  few 
years,  a  first-class  boarding  place  is  found  for  her.  The 
Ruth  Club  retains  its  interest  indefinitely.  Its  doors 
are  wide  open  to  the  boarders  living  elsewhere,  who 


JEWISH  SETTLEMENTS  293 

delight  in  spending  several  evenings  a  week  at  the  club 
with  their  old  companions. 

"  When  the  small  boarding  clubs,  housing  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  girls,  had  reUeved  us  of  as  many 
as  they  could  accommodate,  our  Home  for  Jewish 
Friendless  opened  its  doors,  and  took  in  about  a  dozen 
girls,  from  the  ages  of  thirteen  to  sixteen  years.  More 
than  half  this  number  are  attending  the  Lucy  Flower 
Technical  High  School  and  are  making  good  in  the  full 
sense  of  the  word. 

"  The  third  outlet  has  been  to  place  the  more  de- 
praved girls,  that  seemed  to  fit  in  nowhere  else,  with  a 
non- Jewish  woman,  in  charge  of  a  small  club,  accommo- 
dating about  a  dozen  girls.  She  has  made  a  specialty  of 
the  girl  problem,  and  has  succeeded  in  instilHng  better 
principles,  and  greater  obedience  to  the  laws  of  order 
and  decency  than  anyone  else  whom  we  have  known. 
When  our  Jewish  resources  failed,  and  it  was  necessary 
to  choose  between  the  State  training  school  and  this 
club,  we  naturally  chose  the  latter.  Had  it  not  been  for 
this  woman,  with  the  shelter  she  offered  our  girls  in  her 
splendidly  equipped  home,  and  had  not  her  influence 
been  such  an  important  factor  in  the  reformation 
process,  we  would  have  had  to  send  a  few  more  behind 
locked  doors,  during  the  course  of  the  year.  It  is  the 
exception,  and  not  the  rule,  when  workers  feel  called 
upon  to  recommend  that  dehnquent  girls  be  sent  to 
institutions." 


294  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

P.  Crime  Among  the  Jews 

It  is  only  lately  that  the  question  of  social  work  with 
adult  criminals  has  begun  to  receive  special  attention 
from  Jewish  agencies.  The  Personal  Service  Bureau  of 
Chicago  has  a  special  department  for  this  purpose.  In 
Baltimore,  a  special  agent  is  in  the  field,  and  in  other 
cities,  religious  influences  are  brought  into  play.  The 
Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith  is  endeavoring  to 
organize  the  after  care  of  discharged  prisoners  through  a 
special  committee.  The  engagement  of  a  special  di- 
rector by  the  Order  will  undoubtedly  help  towards  the 
realization  of  this  plan,  but  so  far  it  is  only  in  its  incep- 
tion. 

Chapter  Sixteen.    Settlements  and  Neighborhood  Work 

Questions 

1.  Give  the  definition  of  a  settlement  as  a  social  service 
center. 

2.  Describe  the  specific  problem  of  Jewish  settlements. 

3.  Give  a  program  of  Jewish  children's  club  work. 

4.  What  is  the  function  of  a  settlement  in  regard  to  the 
adolescents? 

5.  Describe  community  forces  in  their  relation  to  the  settle- 
ment. 

6.  Discuss  religion  in  settlements. 

7.  What  are  the  differences   between  the   slum  and  the 
"Ghetto"? 

8.  Give  a  general  program  for  a  Jewish  settlement. 

9.  Give  the  true  method  of  Americanization. 
10.  Describe  specialization  in  settlements. 


XVII 

ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION 

As  in  every  other  field  of  human  endeavor,  so  in  the 
realm  of  social  service,  the  simple  methods  of  yesterday 
have  given  way  to  a  complicated  system,  adequate  for 
the  requirements  of  modem  life.  Organization  is  a 
matter  of  constant  evolution.  While  some  agencies 
achieve  a  high  grade  of  efficiency,  others  just  begin  their 
existence.  The  general  forms  of  organization  are  com- 
mon and  more  or  less  permanent,  the  details  and  com- 
binations permit  of  considerable  modification. 

A.  Leadership 

In  social  service,  the  idea  of  organization  originated 
in  the  endeavor  of  individuals  to  solve  a  given  need  by 
collective  effort.  The  idea  finds  realization  through 
propaganda,  be  it  written  or  oral.  Sometimes  a  pre- 
liminary meeting  marks  the  starting  point  of  the  un- 
dertaking. It  is  natural  that  the  initiators  of  the 
movement  are  the  logical  heads  of  the  newly  bom  or- 
ganization. In  some  instances,  however,  the  leadership 
is  turned  over  to  persons  who,  though  not  the  origina- 
tors of  the  movement,  possess  merit  or  means  to  carry 
out  the  plans  successfully,  secure  co-operation,  and  add 
to  the  prestige  of  the  organization. 

Thus  in  Jewish  social  service,  certain  individuals  are 

295 


296  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

usually  sought  after  in  a  new  organization.  Their 
participation  is  absolutely  necessary  in  order  to  obtain 
the  good  will  of  the  community.  Different  groups  may 
have  their  own  leaders,  but  the  same  persons  are  in- 
variably at  the  head  of  almost  every  organization  of  the 
same  character.  Usually  these  leaders  possess  the 
necessary  qualifications,  but  again,  some  are  simply 
elevated  to  their  position  because  of  their  personal 
generous  support  or  because  of  their  ambitions,  often 
satisfied  by  unscrupulous  means.  It  is  understood  that 
the  position  of  a  head  of  an  organization  carries  with 
it,  besides  responsibilities,  privileges,  honors,  and  social 
standing,  which  in  themselves  are  an  inducement  for 
many  a  person  to  exert  effort  in  order  to  achieve  their 
personal  ends.  Ambition  for  leadership  with  ulterior 
motives  is  quite  common  among  the  Jews,  and  is  quite 
frequently  responsible  for  the  birth  of  new  organiza- 
tions. It  is  important,  therefore,  that  in  launching  a 
new  movement,  the  selection  of  sincere  and  qualified 
leaders  should  receive  proper  consideration. 

B.  The  Selection  of  Leaders 

As  a  rule,  a  written  constitution  provides  for  the 
methods  of  electing  the  officers,  and  the  directors  of  the 
given  organization.  The  contributing  public  is  sup- 
posed to  have  a  final  say  in  the  matter.  However,  in 
practice,  this  matter  is  frequently  referred  to  a  nominat- 
ing committee,  appointed  by  the  presiding  ofiicer,  which 
in  its  turn  receives  certain  instructions.  Unless  there  is 
some  personal  strife,  the  report  is  usually  accepted 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  297 

without  much  ado.  At  times,  different  factions  are  in 
the  field  and  then  more  than  one  ticket  is  to  be  con- 
sidered, but  in  each  case,  it  is  only  a  matter  of  one  or 
the  other  group  of  leaders,  and  very  seldom  the  concern 
of  the  entire  body  of  contributors  or  members.  It  is  an 
open  question  whether  in  its  present  state  of  develop- 
ment, social  service  can  be  properly  handled  through 
representatives  elected  by  the  majority,  who  may  have 
no  standards  as  to  the  qualifications  of  their  candidates. 
However,  in  Jewish  social  service,  the  principle  of 
democracy  in  this  particular  sphere  is  gaining  con- 
siderable ground.  This  new  tendency  received  expres- 
sion in  a  number  of  instances  when  new  organizations 
were  started,  presumably  for  no  other  reason  than  as 
protest  against  the  oligarchical  management  of  the 
more  advanced  institutions  of  American  Jewry. 

The  New  York  Jewish  Community  or  Kehillah  is 
managed  on  this  newer  democratic  basis.  Every 
affiHated  organization  is  given  representation  on  the 
governing  body,  and  the  affairs  of  the  community  are 
adjudged  by  it,  without  special  powers  or  privileges 
being  given  to  a  few  individuals.  This  question  of 
proper  representation  in  governing  bodies  is  especially 
difficult  in  connection  with  organizations  like  settle- 
ments, Y.  M.  H.  A.'s  and  Y.  W.  H.  A.'s,  where  the 
constituency  utilizing  the  institution  demands  an  ade- 
quate part  in  the  matter  of  administration  and  where 
self-government  is  becoming  a  desirable  adjunct  of 
efficient  management. 

In  practical  application,  these  theoretical  principles 


298  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

must  receive  proper  attention,  but  in  each  case  proper 
precautions  should  be  taken  not  to  sacrifice  the  expe- 
diency of  the  situation  to  a  consideration  of  principle 
which  may,  in  the  given  instance,  play  havoc  with  the 
organization.  Ail  depends  upon  local  conditions,  and 
upon  consideration  of  the  different  methods  as  to 
which  will  produce  better  results  in  selecting  the  proper 
managers  of  the  organization  in  question. 

C.  Persistency  in  Office  Holding 

It  has  become  quite  a  custom  in  social  service  prac- 
tice for  the  same  person  to  retain  the  office  of  leader- 
ship from  term  to  term.  This  persistency  in  office 
holding,  has  created  a  situation  that  retards  the  de- 
velopment of  an  organization.  In  many  instances, 
the  heads  of  the  organization,  though  very  active  and 
useful  in  their  activities,  reach  a  stage  where  they  are 
unable  to  cope  with  new  situations  or  to  adapt  them- 
selves to  new,  progressive  measures,  and  become  rather 
dictatorial  in  their  policies.  The  communities  in  such 
cases  have  to  bear  their  burden  silently  and  wait  for 
nature  to  take  its  course.  This  prevents  new  forces 
from  entering  the  field  and  contributing  their  share  of 
useful  activities.  The  work  suffers.  At  the  second 
National  Conference  of  Jewdsh  Charities  at  Detroit, 
Mr.  Max  Senior,  in  his  presidential  message,  expressed 
the  following  sentiments,  which  undoubtedly  produced 
effective  results  all  over  the  country.  He  said:  "I  be- 
lieve that  one  of  the  greatest  evils  in  Jewish  charity 
work  is  the  persistence  of  the  officers  of  our  institutions 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  299 

for  many  years.  We  need,  in  the  conduct  of  our  insti- 
tutions, new  blood  and  new  ideas.  This  is  a  principle 
largely  recognized  in  business  matters  and  equally 
applicable  to  our  affairs.  I  am  a  firm  believer  in  rota- 
tion of  these  offices.  Long  incumbency  in  office  pro- 
duces a  feeling  of  ownership,  which  is  often  disastrous 
to  the  best  interests  of  the  community."  * 

There  are  still  a  number  of  long  timers  who  have  not 
learned  this  truth  as  yet.  In  adopting  this  theory  of 
rotation  in  office,  care  should  be  taken  that  this  term 
of  each  incumbent  should  be  of  sufficient  duration  to 
permit  of  the  realization  of  plans  that  he  may  have  had 
for  the  benefit  of  the  organization. 

D.  Qualifications  of  Leadership 

It  is  difficult  to  enumerate  or  to  define  the  various 
qualifications  that  a  leader  should  possess.  It  is,  after 
all,  a  matter  of  personaHty  and  standards.  A  leader, 
popular  under  certain  circumstances,  may  be  an  ab- 
solute failure  under  other  conditions;  and  again,  a 
strong  personality  may  carry  a  situation  when  condi- 
tions may  seem  unfavorable  and  popular  support  lack- 
ing. In  selecting  a  leader  in  Jewish  social  service, 
consideration  is  usually  given  to  his  financial  and 
social  standing,  to  his  generosity  in  supporting  different 
agencies,  to  his  abihty  to  give  his  time  and  energy  to 
the  particular  cause  and  to  his  achievements  in  the 
past.    At  times,  initiative,  enthusiasm,  and  devotion, 

*  Proceedings  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities,  Detroit, 
Michigan,  1902. 


30O  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

success  in  some  other  line,  ability  as  a  speaker,  and 
last,  but  not  least,  special  talent  in  getting  the  co- 
operation of  different  classes  are  reasons  why  a  person 
is  selected  as  a  president  of  an  organization.  With 
the  modern  advance  in  social  service,  a  new  feature 
must  be  added;  a  leader  must  possess  a  broad  view  of 
the  situation;  he  must  be  capable  of  appreciating  the 
new  tendencies  and  he  must  be  willing  to  adjust  his 
particular  activities  to  the  demands  of  the  times,  with 
a  scientific  interpretation  of  facts  and  a  desire  to  reach 
the  highest  possible  efficiency.  The  proper  leader  of 
to-day  is  not  a  dictator,  he  does  not  seek  to  impress  his 
authority  by  sheer  force.  He  is  open  to  conviction, 
and  does  not  demand  continual  approval  of  his  actions. 
He  is  anxious  to  get  the  co-operation  of  his  co-workers 
and  the  community  at  large,  but  he  does  not  pose  as  a 
martyr,  nor  does  he  become  irritated  when  his  efforts 
are  not  fully  appreciated.  He  reaHzes  the  importance  of 
collective  effort  and  does  not  undertake  to  do  everything 
by  himself,  leaving  no  field  for  the  endeavors  of  others. 

E.  The  Board  of  Directors 

The  Board  of  Directors,  known  under  different  names 
in  different  organizations,  are  supposed  to  be  the  choice 
of  the  public  and  the  trustees  of  the  public's  funds. 
They  are  instrumental  in  making  ample  provision  for 
the  material  support  of  the  different  activities  and  are 
responsible  for  the  entire  workings  of  the  organization. 
They  are  the  controlling  media  and  it  is  their  duty 
and  privilege  to  examine  into  every  detail  of  the  dif- 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  301 

ferent  transactions  and  to  know  the  actual  results. 
Differences  of  opinions  in  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
often  a  sign  of  a  wholesome  interest  and  leads  to  a 
better  and  more  thorough  consideration  of  existing 
issues.  It  is  unfortunate,  however,  that  in  many 
instances,  the  Board  comprises  different  factions,  con- 
tinually working  at  cross  purposes,  and  frequently 
jeopardizing  the  progress  of  the  organization.  This  is 
especially  deplorable  when  the  differences  are  based 
upon  personal  reasons,  having  nothing  in  common 
with  the  good  of  the  institutions  which  the  directors 
are  supposed  to  serve. 

There  has  been  considerable  evil  done  to  a  number 
of  social  service  agencies  by  the  fact  that  their  Boards 
of  Directors  comprised  a  large  proportion  of  members 
kno^vn  as  "dead-wood,"  people  who  have  neither  time, 
nor  interest,  nor  ability  to  perform  the  services  that  are 
required  of  them.  No  person  should  accept  an  office 
nor  be  permitted  to  accept  any  office  in  any  organiza- 
tion unless  he  is  in  a  position  to  give  the  time  and  at- 
tention that  are  required.  In  some  instances,  in  order 
to  retain  the  names  of  some  persons  on  the  Board  who 
are  not  able  to  give  their  actual  participation,  a  special 
class  of  honorary  members  of  the  Board  is  instituted. 

F.  Meetings 

Usually,  the  Board  convenes  at  certain  stated  periods, 
where  the  activities  of  the  organization  are  reported 
and  discussed,  and  where  further  action  and  policies 
are  determined.    Besides  this,  special  committees  at- 


302  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tend  to  specific  problems  encountered  by  the  organiza- 
tion. The  work  of  these  committees  is  of  great  value, 
as  they  give  an  opportunity  to  the  different  members 
of  the  Board  to  take  a  real  and  more  or  less  intensive 
interest  in  at  least  some  part  of  the  life  of  the  organiza- 
tion. Great  care  should  be  taken  that  these  commit- 
tees should  really  do  the  actual  work,  instead  of  serving, 
as  in  many  organizations,  simply  a  perfunctory  ar- 
rangement. A  member  of  the  Board,  who  limits  his 
activities  to  attending  the  meetings  and  not  taking 
any  other  active  interest  is  not  doing  his  full  duty. 

G.  The  Paid  Worker 

The  office  of  paid  worker  is  a  matter  of  a  recent 
origin.  In  the  beginning,  the  employment  of  a  social 
worker  is  rather  a  compromise;  it  is  only  through  neces- 
sity tljat  an  organization  is  willing  to  spend  money  for 
management,  and  even  then,  there  are  always  some 
persons  who  consider  the  expenses  for  management 
not  a  legitimate  item  in  connection  with  a  philanthropic 
activity.  In  many  instances,  the  introduction  of  a 
paid  worker  is  gradual;  often  a  person  giving  his  serv- 
ices for  a  considerable  time  gratis,  is  given  a  small 
compensation.  The  latter  is  seldom  sufficient  to  jus- 
tify the  employment  of  his  entire  time,  and  as  a  rule, 
is  considered  as  a  side  issue.  Again,  in  other  com- 
munities, the  new  field  opens  an  opportunity  to  help 
a  poor  but  unfortunate  man  or  woman,  who  is  placed 
in  a  position  where  he  can,  presumably,  earn  a  liveli- 
hood.   To  engage  a  social  worker  in  this  case,  is  a 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  303 

double  charity.  While  this  is  true  historically,  it  is 
also  applicable  to  present  conditions,  and  each  and 
every  community,  if  not  as  a  whole,  in  part  retains  the 
old  views  and  considers  a  social  worker  as  a  charitable 
adjunct,  rather  than  as  a  real  necessity.  Anyone  who 
has  had  the  experience  of  advertising  for  a  social 
worker,  knows  from  the  character  of  the  persons  as- 
piring to  get  the  position,  how  little  uniformity  there 
is  in  the  supposed  qualifications.  Men  of  high  social 
standing  in  the  community  will  recommend  their 
friends,  sometimes  even  their  relatives,  whose  only 
qualifications  are  the  close  relationship  with  the  given 
person.  Again,  pressure  is  usually  brought  to  get  in 
some  deserving  member  of  the  community,  who  can- 
not do  anything  else  and  probably  for  this  very  reason 
will  be  able  to  do  social  work.  You  get  appHcations 
from  people  without  any  experience,  bold  enough  to 
say  that  they  believe  that  they  can  learn  the  tricks 
of  the  profession  very  readily,  and  from  others  with- 
out any  education,  claiming  that  they  think  that  edu- 
cation, after  all,  is  not  altogether  necessary.  Again 
you  may  get  candidates  thoroughly  quaHfied,  but  who 
take  it  for  granted  that  if  they  do  not  get  the  appoint- 
ment, it  is  not  because  they  come  short  of  requirements, 
but  because  they  do  not  carry  sufficient  pull,  or  were 
prevented  from  getting  the  position  by  the  interference 
of  someone  interested  in  behalf  of  another  person.  In 
this  connection,  it  is  worth  while  mentioning  that  the 
position  of  a  social  worker  is  peculiar  in  the  respect 
that  he  has  little  chance  for  promotion. 


304  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

H.  Qualifications  of  a  Social  Worker 
The  development  of  social  activities  and  the  speciali- 
zation according  to  the  character  of  the  work,  makes  the 
term  of  social  worker  too  general.  The  qualifications 
of  a  superintendent  of  an  institution,  those  of  a  relief 
agent,  or  head  worker  of  a  settlement,  are,  and  should 
be,  of  a  different  character.  Still  there  is  one  under- 
lying principle  and  this  is  the  general  adaptation  for 
social  service.  The  management  of  our  institutions, 
especially  the  orphan  asylums  and  hospitals,  has  lately 
been  considerably  improved.  The  responsibilities  con- 
nected with  these  offices  became  apparent,  and  the 
necessity  of  a  qualified  person  in  charge,  became  impera- 
tive. Our  Homes  for  the  Aged  are  still  following  the 
old  regime.  The  conditions  that  are  found  in  our 
relief  agencies  are  especially  instructive. 

The  office  of  the  Superintendent  carries  a  different 
meaning  in  different  communities;  in  some  places  the 
Superintendent  is  nothing  but  an  office  boy,  a  janitor,  a 
clerk;  again  in  others,  he  is  the  executive  officer  with 
little  power  and  no  authority;  it  is  only  in  a  few  in- 
stances where  the  Superintendent  is  considered  a  leader 
of  the  community,  where  he  is  directing  the  work,  and 
is  applying  plans  and  policies  as  to  the  different  philan- 
thropic plans  and  activities.  Unfortunately,  profes- 
sional efficiency  is  not  a  general  rule  among  Superin- 
tendents of  relief  agencies.  The  requirements  for  the 
office  are  still  indefinite,  and  while  communities  are 
beginning  to  recognize  the  importance  of  a  qualified 
Superintendent,  they  are,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  com- 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  305 

pelled  to  make  their  selection  from  among  people  with- 
out any  professional  training.  Hence,  the  Superin- 
tendent enters  the  community  not  as  a  leader,  but  as 
servant,  ready  to  execute  orders  and  follow  directions. 
Imagine  a  condition  in  medicine  where  the  physician 
would  be  told  "we  pay  you  and  consequently  you  have 
to  do  whatever  we  say,  but  not  command  us  to  do  what 
your  science  directs,"  and  still  who  can  blame  a  com- 
munity that  is  unwilling  to  trust  the  care  of  de- 
pendents in  the  hands  of  an  inexperienced  and  un- 
trained worker? 

On  the  other  hand,  in  the  selection  of  a  Superin- 
tendent, dijBferent  communities  are  guided  by  different 
standards.  In  some  instances,  the  office  is  bestowed  as  a 
pension  upon  a  person  whose  services  could  not  be 
employed  otherwise,  in  others  it  is  purely  a  matter  of 
connection,  something  similar  to  political  pull.  Lately, 
the  requirements  have  become  more  positive.  The 
appearance,  the  general  bearing,  the  moral  tone  and 
disposition,  eloquence  and  refinement  are  taken  into 
consideration.  It  is  only  in  the  exceptional  cases  that 
professional  efiiciency  is  sought.  How  many  communi- 
ties care  whether  their  Superintendent  possesses  knowl- 
edge of  sociology,  political  economy,  psychology,  and 
so  on;  how  many  of  the  Jewish  communities  dealing 
with  immigrants  mainly  demand  that  their  Superin- 
tendent know  the  language  of  the  immigrants,  their 
past,  their  peculiarities,  their  tendencies,  their  merits 
or  their  shortcomings?  And  these  theoretical  prepara- 
tions are  only  a  part  of  the  qualifications  of  a  Superin- 


3o6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tendent,  who  is  destined  to  become  a  leader  in  modern 
philanthropy. 

In  our  settlement  work,  the  conditions  are  still  less 
satisfactory.  The  requirements  of  a  settlement  worker 
are  unreasonable;  the  work  in  its  character  is  indefiinite; 
the  accomplishments  of  an  efficient  settlement  worker 
are  too  manifold  to  be  found  in  one  person.  Besides, 
the  bulk  of  the  work  is  done  by  volunteers,  and  selection 
of  the  latter  is  a  difficult  matter,  and  as  a  rule,  the 
head  worker  has  little  choice  in  the  matter.  As  a  result 
of  all  these  conditions,  the  qualifications  of  a  settlement 
worker  are  measured  by  the  degree  he  or  she  is  pleasing 
to  the  volunteers.  Here  the  charming  personaHty,  the 
smooth  talker  and  an  effective  smile,  a  jollier  and  a 
favorite  of  some  selected  circles,  what  is  called  a  good 
soul,  has  better  chances  than  the  efficient  communal 
worker,  a  man  or  woman  of  ideas,  sincere  and  well 
meaning,  but  not  possessing  external  pleasantries. 

I.  New  Positions 

A  social  worker,  assuming  a  new  position  and  en- 
gaged by  a  new  organization,  finds  that  one  of  the  first, 
if  not  the  most  difficult  tasks  is  to  secure  the  confidence 
of  the  Board  of  Managers  and  to  gain  a  hold  upon  the 
community  that  will  establish  proper  relationships 
between  him  and  his  organization.  If  the  record  of  his 
previous  achievements  is  of  some  value,  it  will  help  him 
to  start  with  a  reputation  that  has  been  made  already; 
he  will  be  accordingly  introduced,  and  will  have  to  live 
up   to   the   expectations   which   his   previous   record 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  307 

promises.  But  even  then,  his  first  impression,  manners, 
voice,  conversation,  tendencies,  views  that  he  confesses, 
sociabiHty,  and  so  on,  will  be  critically  scrutinized,  and 
will  mean  a  great  deal  in  assuring  him  a  strong  foothold 
in  his  new  position.  Should  he,  however,  be  a  person 
who  has  already  been  known  to  the  community,  and 
has  been  chosen  for  some  other  reason  than  on  the 
strength  of  his  former  experiences  as  a  social  worker,  his 
road  towards  success  is  still  more  difficult.  The  entire 
attitude  toward  him  will  depend  upon  how  successful  he 
may  be  at  the  very  beginning. 

In  this  case,  he  meets  a  critical  attitude,  a  lack  of 
confidence,  and  a  somewhat  anxious  expectation  on  the 
part  even  of  those  who  have  engaged  him.  For  even 
they  have  had  doubts  as  to  his  abihty  to  cope  with  the 
situation  and  naturally  are  willing  to  change  their 
views  after  a  reasonable  trial.  Often  the  relations  of  the 
social  worker  and  his  organization  are  aggravated  from 
the  very  start  by  the  interference  of  a  third  party,  di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  personally  interested  in  causing 
trouble,  to  see  him  fail  and  make  place  for  somebody 
else.  As  a  rule,  however,  a  social  worker,  when  engaged 
for  a  new  position,  finds  that  he  is  met  with  open  arms, 
and  is  shown  a  great  deal  of  consideration  in  the  begin- 
ning. But  often  his  first  experiences  are  not  lasting. 
The  trouble  frequently  begins  from  an  insignificant 
episode,  a  mistake.  Unnecessary  friction  that  could  be 
easily  avoided  and  overlooked  causes  anxiety  and  is 
sufficient  to  overthrow  the  entire  equilibrium,  producing 
a  storm,  in  what  promised  to  be  an  ideal  atmosphere. 


3o8  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Under  these  circumstances,  it  is  quite  natural  that  a 
social  worker  has  to  be  careful  from  the  very  start,  and 
this  leads  us  to  the  consideration  of  a  peculiar  psycho- 
logical feature,  namely,  the  social  worker's  fear  of  his 
organization.  Notwithstanding  the  growing  demand 
for  social  workers,  each  and  every  one  of  them  is  in 
constant  fear  of  losing  his  position,  for  he  knows  and 
his  friends  do  not  fail  to  tell  him,  that  to  lose  a  position 
is,  after  all,  a  great  deal  easier  than  to  get  another  one. 
This  fear  on  the  part  of  the  social  worker  makes  him 
very  sensitive  to  the  opinions  of  his  superiors.  He 
cannot  stand  any  criticism  coming  from  them,  exag- 
gerating its  importance,  taking  too  seriously  every 
word  uttered  by  any  of  his  directors,  a  condition  which 
is  responsible  for  a  peculiar  ambition,  characteristic  of 
almost  everyone  connected  with  social  service.  Realiz- 
ing this  ambition,  the  organizations  are  very  generous 
in  giving  praise  to  their  paid  workers,  though  very 
careful  in  advancing  their  salaries,  making  public  ac- 
knowledgments of  the  wonderful  achievements  and 
willing  to  mention  them  in  every  report  issued  by  the 
organization, 

J.  Difficulties  of  a  Social  Worker 

The  relations  that  a  social  worker  encounters  are 
often  of  a  subjective  character.  This  is  due  to  per- 
sonality and  the  methods  employed.  The  most  fre- 
quent cause  for  friction  between  the  social  worker  and 
his  organization  is  the  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
methods  and  tendencies  of  the  work  itself. 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  309 

In  the  relief  agency,  the  worker  may  be  accused  of 
being  too  lenient  or  too  severe,  as  the  case  may  be;  in 
the  institution  the  question  of  discipline  may  cause 
considerable  trouble;  in  settlement  work,  the  lack  of 
restraint  and  the  character  of  the  activities  may  not 
meet  with  the  approval  of  the  Board.  This  is  a  legiti- 
mate and  natural  controversy,  and  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
worker,  if  he  is  given  a  chance,  to  bring  about  a  uni- 
formity of  ideas.  Unfortunately,  the  worker  often 
sacrifices  his  own  personality  in  attempting  to  com- 
promise difficulties;  he  becomes  a  champion  of  a  cause 
in  which  he  himself  does  not  beheve;  he  changes  meth- 
ods, not  because  he  considers  them  wrong,  but  because 
the  Board  will  be  better  pleased  with  others.  By  doing 
so  he  does  not  emphasize  the  fact  that  he  is  not  respon- 
sible for  the  new  way.  On  the  contrary,  he  praises  the 
things  that  he  hates  and  downs  those  that  he  internally 
beheves  to  be  good. 

The  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the 
Board  to  apply  a  business  criterion  to  philanthropic 
activities  is  often  the  cause  of  considerable  friction 
between  the  organization  and  the  social  worker.  The 
social  worker  is  often  made  responsible  for  raising  of 
funds,  and  is  kept  busy  in  inventing  schemes  or  in 
executing  the  schemes  of  his  Board  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  money  for  different  activities.  In  some  or- 
ganizations, an  unreasonable  economy  is  enforced,  and 
the  recent  fad  to  get  returns  from  the  constituency 
itself  leads  to  a  most  unsatisfactory  role  the  social 
worker  is  made  to  assume. 


3IO  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

In  institutions,  hospitals,  asylums,  schools,  etc.,  the 
importance  attached  to  the  sometimes  very  insig- 
nificant income  is  usually  exaggerated.  Meanwhile,  the 
social  worker  is  compelled  to  show  results  in  dollars  and 
cents,  and  if  he  fails  in  this  particular  respect,  he  loses 
his  standing;  he  realizes  the  falsity  of  his  position,  and 
naturally  protests  against  this  unfair  measure  of  his 
achievements,  which  creates  a  feehng  of  discontent  on 
the  part  of  the  organization. 

In  settlement  work,  the  lack  of  appreciation  of  spe- 
cial paid  assistance  and  the  idea  of  getting  along  with 
volunteer  service  exclusively  is  responsible  for  the 
physical  breakdown  of  many  a  social  worker  and  for 
the  unavoidable  failure,  producing  friction  and  un- 
pleasantness in  the  relations  of  a  social  worker  and 
his  Board.  The  social  worker  who  fails  to  recognize, 
however,  the  rights  of  the  members  of  the  Boards, 
who  fails  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  the  views  of 
a  large  number  of  contributors  to  his  cause,  and  who 
ignores  pubUc  opinion,  is  partly  responsible  himself 
if  he  does  not  find  satisfactory  relations  between  him- 
self and  his  organization. 

K.  Attitude  Towards  the  Board  of  Managers 

A  social  worker  must  never  forget  that  the  Board 
of  Managers  are  supposed  to  be  the  choice  of  the  pubhc. 
They  are  the  trustees  of  pubhc  funds;  they  are  instru- 
mental in  making  ample  provision  for  the  material 
support  of  different  activities,  and  are  responsible  for 
the  entire  workings  of  the  organization.     They  are 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  311 

the  controlling  media,  and  it  is  their  duty  and  privilege 
to  examine  and  approve  or  disapprove  his  actions. 
They  are  entitled  to  know  all  the  details  of  the  different 
transactions,  and  must  be  put  in  position  to  watch 
results.  The  social  worker  who  succeeds  in  being  left 
alone,  be  it  because  the  members  of  the  Board  are 
indifferent  to  their  duty  or  are  too  busy  with  their 
own  affairs,  or  because  they  have  full  confidence  in 
him  and  do  not  want  to  interfere  with  his  prerogative, 
may  find  himself  in  a  predicament  when  he  awakens  to 
the  fact  that  his  Board  did  not  keep  pace  with  the 
progress  made,  and  is  unable  to  give  him  the  co-opera- 
tion which  he  may  want.  The  same  is  true  with  the 
worker  who  is  attempting  to  keep  his  Board  in  igno- 
rance of  the  true  status  of  the  situation,  who  misrepre- 
sents reality  and  substitutes  it  with  results  pleasing  to 
the  Board.  While  different  Boards  are  partly  respon- 
sible for  this  situation  by  encouraging  social  workers 
to  report  nothing  but  what  they  want  reported,  still 
social  workers  are  to  be  blamed  considerably  for  such 
deceitful  practice  towards  their  organization.  This 
tendency  is  especially  evident  in  the  official  statements, 
and  even  in  the  statistical  data  given  by  different  or- 
ganizations. Everything  is  calculated  to  produce  the 
impression  of  a  perfect  situation,  and  no  allowance  is 
made  for  weak  and  negative  features  that  are  met 
with  in  almost  every  department  of  social  service.  In 
fact,  it  is  hard  to  say  what  would  happen  to  a  social 
worker  if  he  should  dare  to  bring  before  the  public  his 
doubts  as  to  the  real  merits  of  the  work  in  which  he  is 


312  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

engaged.  It  is  no  wonder  that  often  the  social  worker 
is  too  ambitious  in  his  actions  and  still  more  in  his 
utterances  as  a  result  of  which  he  gets  in  more  trouble 
than  if  he  would  do  otherwise. 

The  Board  is  responsible  for  the  social  worker,  and 
consequently  has  the  right  to  employ  or  discharge 
him.  It  is  a  misfortune  to  have  a  social  worker  who 
is  a  fixture,  who  keeps  his  office  on  the  strength  of  his 
past  achievements,  or  through  some  occult  influence, 
or  as  a  matter  of  charity.  On  the  other  hand,  the  social 
worker,  not  merely  by  virtue  of  his  office,  but  through 
efficiency,  should  assert  himself  as  a  leader,  and  under 
no  conditions  be  willing  to  serve  as  a  slave  acting  against 
his  convictions  for  fear  of  losing  his  position.  The 
efficient  social  worker  is  not  the  one  who  does  just  ex- 
actly what  the  Board  of  Managers  wants  him  to  do, 
but  the  one  who  is  instrumental  in  making  the  Board 
demand  what  he  himself  thinks  ought  to  be  done.  All 
this  is  true,  however,  in  a  general  way.  In  indi\ddual 
cases,  the  social  worker,  in  his  relations  to  the  Board 
of  Managers  encounters  innumerable  difficulties.  The 
Board,  as  a  rule,  is  not  a  homogeneous  body.  Human 
beings  differ,  especially  when  they  are  members  of  a 
philanthropic  organization.  The  position  of  a  social 
worker  is  exceedingly  difi&cult  when  his  organization 
is  divided  into  factions.  These  differences  are  hard  to 
reconcile.  Both  parties,  if  there  are  only  two,  may  be 
at  fault;  the  entire  animosity  may  be  of  a  personal 
origin,  or  based  upon  petty  ambitions  and  rivalries. 
The  social  worker  is  placed  in  the  position  of  a  poli- 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  313 

tician, — he  watches  the  market  and  observes  each 
movement  of  the  pendulum  of  social  achievement  of 
one  part,  or  the  fall  of  the  other.  Woe  be  to  the  social 
worker  who  is  obliged  to  flatter,  gossip,  to  lead  intrigue, 
and  to  take  advantages  of  the  weaknesses  of  the  in- 
dividual members  of  the  Board.  The  zeal  with  which 
the  social  worker  tries  to  get  on  the  good  side  of  the 
Board  makes  him  forget  at  times  that  the  Board  is, 
after  all,  only  a  part  of  the  pubKc,  and  that  the  contrib- 
utors are  also  deserving  of  serious  consideration.  The 
favorite  of  the  Board  is  not  always  the  favorite  of  the 
public.  His  position  may  be  quite  secure  for  a  time, 
but  he  is  liable  to  get  into  some  difficulty,  and  with  no 
co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  community  at  large, 
will  have  to  stand  on  his  o"wti  merits,  independent  of 
what  the  Board  may  think  of  him.  In  settlement  work 
especially,  the  opinion  of  the  large  corps  of  volunteer 
workers  and  so-called  sympathizers  requires  careful 
handling.  Here,  as  everywhere  else,  tact  and  patience 
are  necessary.  A  little  politeness  is  always  in  place. 
A  certain  duty  devolves  upon  the  social  worker  in 
regard  to  the  supporters  and  contributors,  as  the  work 
depends  upon  their  interest.  It  is  therefore  very  im- 
portant that  he  should  do  all  that  he  possibly  can  to 
acquaint  the  public  with  the  manifold  activities,  their 
workings,  and  should  excite  sympathy,  enthusiasm  and 
belief,  not  only  in  the  methods  but  in  the  people,  for 
whose  benefit  the  institutions  exist. 

The  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  charity  worker  to 
emphasize  the  faults  of  the  poor,  to  speak  of  their  de- 


314  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

ceitful  natures,  of  their  depravity,  and  of  their  dire 
ingratitude  is  wrong  means  to  get  the  proper  co- 
operation from  the  organization.  An  organization 
based  upon  hatred  and  distrust  of  the  people  who  are 
its  beneficiaries,  even  if  thoroughly  organized,  does  not 
deserve  the  name  of  charity.  The  charity  worker  who 
considers  every  applicant  as  a  thief  and  liar  is  unable 
to  do  justice  even  to  the  deserving  individual.  The 
charity  worker  who  thinks  that  his  sole  duty  is  to  pro- 
tect the  community  from  impostors,  is  laboring  under 
a  false  conception  of  true  charity.  With  him  the  prob- 
lem seems  to  be  "how  to  refuse,"  not  "how  to  help." 
The  Board  of  Managers  may  be  curious  to  know  the 
pecuUar  and  at  times,  very  morbid  experiences  with 
the  undeserving  poor.  This  is  a  weakness  similar  to 
the  love  for  detective  stories,  but  this  will  never  serve 
the  cause  of  charity.  The  social  worker  should  use 
all  possible  opportunities  to  present  the  true  condition 
under  which  "the  other  half"  lives,  and  explain  the 
causes  of  poverty  that  are  beyond  the  control  of  the 
individual.  He  should  endeavor  to  get  the  sympathy 
for  the  suffering  and  excite  the  desire  to  be  helpful  to 
the  unfortunate;  he  should  cite  examples  of  definite 
results  achieved  through  adequate  relief  and,  in  general, 
act  as  an  enthusiastic  advocate  in  behalf  of  the  poor. 
In  doing  so  he  may  encounter  a  good  deal  of  opposition 
and  criticism,  but  as  long  as  there  is  no  question  as 
to  his  sincerity,  he  is  bound  to  achieve  his  purpose. 

In  institutional  work  the  most  dangerous  tendency 
is  the  method  of  showing  off  through  exhibitions,  re- 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  315 

ceptions,  etc.,  during  which  the  social  worker  is  com- 
pelled to  follow  the  accepted  customs,  notwithstand- 
ing the  wrong  involved.  For  weeks  and  months,  the 
orphans  go  through  exercises  and  prepared  programs 
for  the  entertainment  of  the  patrons.  The  visit  of 
the  Board  of  Managers  to  the  institution  is  the  cause 
of  an  enforced,  unnecessary  discipline,  recompensed, 
sometimes,  by  an  extra  allowance  in  the  diet  of  the 
inmates.  It  is  seldom  that  the  institution  can  be  shown 
to  the  directors  in  its  usual  everyday  routine. 

In  settlement  work,  the  directors  are  treated  by  the 
social  workers  to  affairs  that  can  be  shown  off  in  num- 
bers, for  which  the  real,  good  work  is  sacrificed.  Ac- 
tivities are  instituted,  not  because  of  a  real  demand 
that  they  meet,  but  because  some  particular  director 
may  have  this  hobby  that  the  social  worker  has  to 
put  into  operation.  In  other  words,  the  social  worker, 
in  every  department,  deems  it  his  duty  to  sacrifice  his 
own  personal  views  to  the  views  of  his  superiors,  and 
this,  carried  to  an  extreme,  makes  the  social  worker  a 
tool  of  others  instead  of  an  independent  leader. 

L.  The  Attitude  of  the  Social  Worker  to  the 
Community 

This  brings  us  to  the  final  and  most  important  con- 
sideration,— that  is  the  relation  between  the  social 
worker  and  the  beneficiaries,  the  applicants  for  charity, 
the  inmates  of  the  institution,  and  the  constituency  of 
the  settlements.  The  idea  that  a  social  worker  is 
always  misjudged  by  the  people  among  whom  he  is 


3i6  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

working  is  a  most  dangerous  point  of  view.  Many  a 
Board  doubts  the  efficiency  of  its  workers  because  the 
latter  are  on  too  intimate  terms  with  their  charges. 
Often  the  hatred  sho^vn  to  the  social  worker  is  taken 
as  an  indication  of  his  wonderful  achievements.  No 
matter  how  important  it  is  to  get  friendly  relations  from 
the  Board  of  Managers  and  the  large  list  of  contributors, 
the  social  worker  must  never  forget  that  his  mission  is 
among  the  poor  and  the  needy,  the  ignorant  and  the 
lowly,  those  that  need  his  assistance,  his  just  and  kind 
attitude. 

In  relief  work,  the  social  worker  must  never  forget 
that  he  is  a  paid  agent,  that  he  is  placed  for  the  purpose  of 
ameliorating  the  conditions  of  the  poor,  that  he  is  called 
upon  primarily  to  serve  the  needy,  and  should  never 
permit  himself  to  play  the  role  of  a  benefactor;  he  must 
give  a  chance  to  every  applicant  to  explain  to  him  fully 
his  needs  and  desires;  he  must  never  shirk  his  respon- 
sibility and  avoid  meeting  an  applicant  whom  he  can- 
not or  does  not  want  to  help.  In  granting  assistance  or 
refusing  to  do  anything  for  an  applicant,  he  should  act 
in  a  business  capacity.  His  personal  likes  and  dislikes 
should  find  no  place  in  the  matter  of  distributing  relief. 
All  applicants  should  be  treated  with  courtesy,  friend- 
liness and  sincerity.  Kind  and  forgiving,  the  social 
worker  should,  however,  be  definite  in  his  actions, 
decisive  and  straightforward.  Nothing  annoys  the  poor 
more  than  the  double-faced  policy;  the  social  worker 
need  not  rehearse  a  smiling  countenance  in  a  mirror. 
The  poor  will  not  believe  him,  nor  will  it  be  of  an}' 


ORGANIZATION  AND  ADMINISTRATION  317 

purpose  to  put  on  a  mask  of  dignity,  unnecessary 
sagacity,  or  stem  character.  The  poor  are  not  easily 
deceived.  The  social  worker  who  is  really  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  his  beneficiaries,  the  social  worker  who 
gives  thought  to  each  and  every  case  with  a  view  to 
doing  the  very  best,  the  social  worker  who  knows  what 
is  needed  by  the  community  and  is  frank  and  fearless  in 
putting  his  ideas  into  practice,  the  social  worker  who 
sympathizes  with  the  suffering  and  never  goes  back  on 
his  promises  will  have  no  trouble  in  adjusting  his  rela- 
tions with  the  people  for  whom  he  works. 

Chapter  Seventeen.    Organization  and  Administration 

Questions 

1.  Discuss  the  diiferent  methods  of  selecting  leaders. 

2.  What  is  the  new  tendency  in  the  administration  of  social 
service  organizations? 

3.  What  is  meant  by  persistency  in  office,  and  what  are  its 
negative  features? 

4.  Enumerate  the  qualifications  of  a  proper  social  service 
leader. 

5.  What  are  the  functions  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  an 
organization? 

6.  Describe  the  different  methods  of  selecting  paid  workers. 

7.  Describe  the  difficulties  of  a  paid  worker  in  a  new  position. 

8.  State  the  reasons  for  friction  of  the  social  worker  and  his 
Board  and  discuss  the  proper  attitude  of  the  social  worker. 

9.  Discuss  the  proper  attitude  of  the  social  worker  to  the 
constituency  which  he  serves. 


xvin 

VOLUNTEER  SERVICE 

In  the  beginning  of  Jewish  social  service,  the  work 
was  done  exclusively  by  volunteers,  but  even  later, 
when  paid  workers  were  put  in  the  field,  volunteers  still 
remained  active  adjuncts  of  the  different  organizations. 
In  connection  with  religious  work,  ladies,  formed  in 
committees,  visited  the  dependent  famihes,  made  in- 
vestigations, administered  aid,  gave  personal  service 
and  planned  for  rehabihtation.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, no  uniformity  could  be  expected;  all  depended 
upon  the  personality  of  the  so-called  "Lady  Visitor." 
Some  cases  were  neglected;  responsibility  was  shirked; 
there  was  no  way  to  demand  definite  service.  Again, 
some  cases  would  receive  undue  consideration.  And 
indiscriminate  rehef,  with  all  its  negative  attributes, 
played  havoc  with  many  a  family.  Blessed  and  thanked 
when  ample  rehef  was  given,  the  lady  visitor  was  cursed 
and  despised  as  soon  as  she  withdrew  her  further 
generosity,  and  the  poor  showed  considerable  hatred  to 
the  lady  visitors,  who  became  a  bugaboo  in  the  poor 
neighborhoods. 

A.  Friendly  Visitors  as  Adjuncts  of  Relief  Soci- 
eties 
In  the  light  of  this  rather  unpleasant  experience,  con- 
siderable change  has  been  introduced  in  the  functions  of 

318 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  319 

lady  visitors.  While  ladies  were  still  retained  as  volun- 
teer agents  of  relief  societies, — now  only  as  investiga- 
tors,— the  function  of  relief  giving  was  taken  away  from 
them.  They  were  to  advise  the  poor, — to  find  out 
actual  condition.  But  it  was  up  to  the  relief  society  to 
decide  upon  the  amount  of  rehef  to  be  given,  and  the 
administration  of  the  latter  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 
a  paid  agent.  While  this  arrangement  was  to  a  certain 
extent  an  improvement  upon  the  former,  inasmuch  as 
there  was  now  a  possibility  of  introducing  a  more  or 
less  uniform  scale  of  relief  and  inasmuch  as  the  ladies 
were  relieved  of  unpleasant  duties  involved  in  refusing 
such  relief,  still  the  poor  continued  to  look  upon  the 
lady  visitors  as  agents  of  the  relief  societies,  objected  to 
their  interference,  blamed  them  for  cutting  off  allow- 
ances, and  in  general  considered  them  spies  and  detec- 
tives,— enemies  rather  than  friends. 

Nor  were  the  lady  visitors  a  pleasant  arrangement 
for  the  paid  staff  of  the  relief  agency.  The  friendly 
visitors  could  not  help  expressing  their  views  as  to  the 
needs  of  their  families,  their  requests  were  frequently 
unreasonable,  nor  could  their  demands  be  easily  ignored, 
for  this  led,  as  a  rule,  to  the  loss  of  their  co-operation 
and  financial  support. 

In  Jewish  work  particularly,  the  lady  visitors  often 
waged  war  against  organized,  well-planned  effort,  often 
seceded  from  the  organization  and  tried  to  give  from 
their  personal  purses  where  the  rehef  societies  refused 
to  grant  allowances.  The  aboHtion  of  the  lady  visitors 
altogether  as  a  social  service  group,  as  was  tried  in  some 


320  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

individual  cities,  did  not  prove  a  wise  step.  While 
the  lady  visitors  were  responsible  for  a  number  of 
difficulties  in  handling  the  relief  problem,  still  there  was 
another  side  to  the  issue.  The  lady  visitors  were  the 
only  remaining  link  between  the  poor  and  the  rich. 
They  interpreted  to  the  wealthy  how  the  other  half 
lived.  In  some  instances  they  performed  good  personal 
service,  and  were  instrumental  in  keeping  the  relief 
agency  from  becoming  a  purely  mechanical  organiza- 
tion. A  change,  however,  in  the  very  functions  of  this 
available  force  was  necessary. 

B.  Modern  Conceptions  of  Lady  Visitors 

Miss  Minnie  Low  of  Chicago  was  probably  the  first 
in  Jewish  circles  to  realize  the  possibility  of  utilizing  the 
good  services  of  the  lady  visitors  in  making  them  an 
agency  of  more  personal  service,  not  only  as  an  adjunct 
of  the  reUef  agency,  but  in  a  broader  sense,  covering 
every  phase  of  social  service  as  applied  to  a  given  in- 
dividual family.  Her  address  on  Friendly  Visiting, 
presented  before  the  first  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities 
in  Chicago,  igoo,  was  a  masterpiece,  and  has  given  a 
new  direction  to  the  efforts  of  lady  visitors,  whom  she 
designated  as  "Friendly  Visitors." 

The  friendly  visitor  now  is  primarily  concerned  with 
the  welfare  of  a  given  family.  She  assumes  a  neigh- 
borly attitude, — the  attitude  of  a  sister,  a  friend;  she  is 
here  now  to  help  and  not  to  command,  to  assist  and  not 
to  criticize,  to  learn  and  not  to  betray;  she  wants  the 
poor  family  to  go  ahead,  she  does  not  expect  thanks  nor 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  321 

gratitude;  she  makes  no  show  of  misery;  she  forgives; 
she  encourages ;  she  sympathizes  and  helps  wherever  she 
can  with  no  other  motive  than  an  expression  of  her  love 
for  humanity.  It  is  evident  that  this  conception  of  a 
friendly  visitor  does  not  necessarily  imply  direct  con- 
nection with  a  relief  agency.  In  Chicago  it  resulted  in 
the  formation  of  what  is  known  as  the  Personal  Service 
Bureau,  which,  since  its  organization  in  the  city,  ex- 
tended its  activities  in  different  directions  and  wielded 
influence  over  almost  every  effort  in  the  field  of  Jewish 
philanthropy. 

No  matter  how  noble  and  deep  the  motive  of  per- 
sonal service  may  be,  with  the  complexity  of  modern 
life  a  definite  plan  of  action  is  necessary  to  avoid  the 
negative  results  that  may  accrue  from  inexperienced 
interference  with  the  needs  of  the  poor  on  the  part  of 
persons  who  may  be  well  meaning  and  still  at  a  loss  as 
to  what  is  best  under  given  circumstances. 

The  number  of  persons  desiring  to  serve  the  com- 
munity is  growing.  This  is  a  hopeful  sign  of  to-day. 
This  awakening  must  be  properly  directed,  and  the 
friendly  visitor  is  one  of  those  functions  that  require 
definite  direction. 

It  makes  little  difference  what  is  the  source  of  contact 
of  the  friendly  visitor;  it  may  be  a  relief  society,  juvenile 
court,  settlement,  or  just  a  private  meeting.  The  per- 
son intending  to  help  the  given  family  must  be  careful 
to  gain  its  friendship.  It  must  be  acquired  along 
democratic  lines.  The  family  must  feel  that  there  is  no 
ulterior  motive,  that  it  is  love  and  interest  in  the  family 


322  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

that  counts.  A  person  that  sees  no  bright  attractive 
sides  to  the  family  cannot  be  an  effective  factor,  she 
lacks  the  capacity  of  a  friendly  visitor.  Pity  alone  will 
not  do. 

C.  The  Problems  of  Friendly  Visiting 

Now,  in  what  way  can  a  friendly  visitor  render  serv- 
ice? Because  of  advantages  of  economic  conditions, 
education,  etc.,  the  friendly  visitor  ought  to  be  able  to 
orient  herself  in  the  circumstances  of  the  family  and 
find  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty  much  better  than  the 
family  could  itself.  It  is  therefore  important  that  the 
friendly  visitor  place  herself  in  the  position  of  the 
family,  and  try  to  answer  the  question :  what  would  she 
have  done  in  their  position?  Detailed  and  careful  con- 
sideration will  help  the  friendly  visitor  to  meet  the 
different  phases  of  the  problem,  and  prepare  her  for 
efficient  advice  and  co-operation.  The  following  is  an 
outline  of  inquiry  which  is  suggested  as  a  helpful  guide 
to  the  thoughtful  visitor. 

I.  The  Health  of  the  Poor 

The  health  of  the  poor  is  their  greatest  asset.  The 
problem,  therefore,  can  be  summarized  in  the  attitude 
of  the  friendly  visitor.  How  would  she,  put  in  the 
position  of  the  family  and  with  no  other  resources  than 
it  possesses  preserve  the  health  of  its  members?  She 
will  ascertain,  therefore,  the  exact  state  of  health  of 
each  member  of  the  family.  In  case  of  some  illness  or 
physical  deficiency,  she  will  endeavor  to  obtain  the 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  323 

earliest  diagnosis  and  procure  the  best  medical  treat- 
ment. She  will  endeavor  to  eliminate  the  causes  of 
preventable  disease.  She  will  pay  special  attention  to 
those  members  of  the  family  who  are  handicapped. 
She  will  be  sure  to  avoid  the  different  home  cures.  She 
will  not  listen  to  the  advice  given  by  ignorant  neigh- 
bors. She  certainly  will  not  use  patent  medicines. 
She  will  guard  against  contagious  diseases,  and  she 
will  utilize  the  private  doctor,  nurse,  and  hospital  only 
when  she  is  certain  that  she  gets  the  proper  services. 
She  will  make  it  her  business  to  know  what  free  agen- 
cies she  can  apply  to.  She  will  know  what  she  can 
expect  from  the  district  physician,  the  clinic,  and  the 
hospital.  She  will  not  miss  the  agencies  that  provide 
treatment  for  convalescents,  and  will  avail  herself  of 
the  Fresh  Air  Treatment  offered  to  the  needy.  In  other 
words,  she  will  intelligently  survey  the  situation  and 
intelligently  cope  with  it. 

2.  Infant  Welfare 

If  there  is  a  baby  in  the  family,  the  friendly  visitor 
will  put  herself  in  the  place  of  the  mother.  She  will 
get  all  the  necessary  information  as  to  the  care  of  the 
baby  and  will  share  it  with  the  mother.  She  will  un- 
doubtedly see  that  the  mother  gets  efficient  obstetrical 
assistance;  she  will  take  care  that  the  mother  conserves 
her  strength  so  that  when  the  baby  does  arrive,  she 
will  be  able  to  nurse  it.  She  will  arrange  for  proper 
sanitation  and  feeding  and  will  make  sure  that  the 
baby  gets  prompt  and  proper   medical   attendance 


324  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

when  it  needs  it.  She  therefore  will  acquaint  herself 
with  the  literature  intended  for  mothers;  she  will  get 
into  contact  with  the  proper  obstetrician;  she  will 
avoid  the  ignorant  midwife;  she  will  know  how  to 
utilize  the  Infant  Welfare  Stations;  she  will  apply  to 
the  proper  authorities  for  maternity  help;  she  will  get 
into  contact  with  the  Visiting  Nurse  Association,  etc. 

3.  Protection  of  the  Health  of  the  Children  of  the  Poor 

The  friendly  visitor  will  apply  herself  to  the  task  of 
protecting  the  health  of  the  children  of  the  family, 
just  as  if  she  were  a  part  of  it.  She  will  learn  of  the 
School  Medical  Inspections  and  be  interested  in  the 
findings  of  the  physician.  She  will  pay  attention  to 
the  physical  defects  detected;  she  will  watch  out  for 
contagious  diseases.  She  will  give  her  time  and  effort 
to  the  problem  of  providing  the  children  with  proper 
food,  clothing,  housing  and  sanitation;  she  will  see  that 
the  children  get  physical  exercise,  play,  and  fresh  air. 

4.  Tuberculosis  J  the  Scourge  of  the  Poor 

If  the  friendly  visitor  happens  to  minister  to  a 
family  where  tuberculosis  is  doing  its  deadly  work,  she 
will  put  herself  in  the  position  of  the  family;  she  will 
get  a  definite,  early  diagnosis;  she  will  encourage  and 
help  the  patient  to  bear  his  fate;  she  will  get  and  utilize 
sanitarium  treatment;  she  will  give  the  patient  a  chance 
to  learn  what  is  necessary  for  a  victim  of  tuberculosis 
to  know.  She  will  not  forget  after-care,  and  will  attend 
to  the  process  of  rehabilitation.    She  will  take  precau- 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  325 

tions  for  the  safety  of  the  rest  of  the  family.  She  will 
get  a  medical  examination  of  each  member.  She  will 
promote  the  education  that  is  required  in  such  cases. 
She  will  utilize  all  possible  preventive  forces. 

5.  Indiscriminate  Charity 

Indiscriminate  charity  spells  demoralization  and 
leads  to  pauperism.  It  stands  to  reason  that  the 
friendly  visitor,  assuming  the  part  of  the  family,  will 
endeavor  to  avoid  charity  interference.  She  will  as- 
certain the  income  of  the  family.  She  will  find  the 
minimum  standard  on  which  the  family  can  live.  She 
will  exhaust  all  possibilities  trying  to  increase  its  in- 
come, and  if  she  finds  that  the  minimum  standard  is 
not  attained,  then,  and  only  then,  will  she  apply  for 
assistance  to  a  philanthropic  agency.  Under  these 
circumstances,  there  ought  not  to  be  any  difficulty 
in  getting  proper  assistance;  there  will  be  no  demoraliza- 
tion, and  the  stigma  of  charity  will  be  reduced  to  a 
minimum. 

6.  Proper  Housing 

The  friendly  visitor  will  realize  the  importance  of 
proper  housing  faciUties.  She  will  determine  the 
minimum  amount  of  rent  that  the  family  can  afford  to 
pay.  She  will  demand  the  conditions  that  are  guaran- 
teed by  the  existing  laws;  she  will  select  the  location; 
she  will  demand  that  the  house  be  safe  as  far  as  fire 
protection  is  concerned;  she  will  pay  attention  to  its 
sanitary  appointments.     She  will  make  an  effort  for 


326  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

proper  cleaning.  When  the  rooms  are  already  rented, 
she  will  arrange  proper  sleeping  facilities  and  the  proper 
use  of  the  rooms  in  the  daytime.  She  will  try  to  find 
proper  places  for  the  furniture,  kitchen  utensils,  as 
well  as  work  out  the  different  details  of  everyday 
routine  life,  coping  with  conditions  as  they  are. 

7.  Sufficient  Feeding,  an  Index  to  Normal  Life 

The  friendly  visitor  will  not  neglect  the  proper  feed- 
ing of  the  family.  She  will  undoubtedly  keep  a  record 
of  food  expenses.  She  will  determine  the  minimum 
necessary.  She  will  try  to  improve  the  diet,  all  this 
as  she  would  have  done  if  she  were  in  the  position  of  the 
family.  Her  intelligent  study  of  the  situation,  her  inter- 
est and  her  actual  help  in  solving  the  perplexing  prob- 
lem will  in  time  succeed  in  securing  the  sympathetic 
appreciation  and  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  family 
itself.    This  is  especially  true  in  regard  to  food  values. 

8.  Apportionment  of  Work  Day 

Proper  use  of  time  and  energy  is  an  everyday  asset 
in  the  life  of  the  poor.  It  is  undoubtedly  a  difficult 
problem  for  the  poor  to  find  sufficient  time  to  attend 
to  the  different  tasks  that  must  be  accomplished  from 
day  to  day.  The  friendly  visitor  will  acquaint  herself 
with  the  entire  field.  She  will  know  how  much  and 
what  is  to  be  done.  She  will  make  an  inventory  of  the 
different  tasks  and  the  time  they  require.  Then  she 
will  try  to  assign  each  task  to  a  certain  time;  she  will 
utilize  definitely  the  help  of  all  the  members  of  the 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  327 

family,  she  will  work  out  a  definite  program  of  routine 
work,  and  make  housekeeping  a  pleasant  occupation 
instead  of  drudgery. 

9.  Proper  Clothing 

Proper  clothing  gives  courage  to  the  poor.  Probably 
no  subject  requires  more  attention  than  this;  it  is 
difficult  to  limit  the  amounts  required  for  proper  ap- 
parel. There  are  so  many  conditions,  actual  needs, 
conventions,  seasons,  and  what  not,  that  must  be  taken 
into  account.  The  friendly  visitor  will  help  in  study- 
ing the  solution;  she  will  determine  what  is  the  mini- 
mum to  be  allowed;  she  will  provide  for  proper  buying; 
she  will  avoid  the  custom  of  buying  on  the  installment 
plan;  she  will  see  that  the  family  is  properly  dressed 
on  all  occasions, — during  work  and  on  holidays.  She 
will  avoid  waste,  but  provide  for  comfort  as  well  as 
appearance.  Here,  more  than  anywhere  else  it  is  im- 
portant that  the  friendly  visitor  should  put  herself  in 
the  position  of  the  family,  for  the  social  standing  of  a 
particular  group  makes  certain  demands  upon  it  that 
cannot  be  neglected. 

10.  The  Career  of  the  Children  of  the  Poor 

The  potential  career  of  the  children  is  the  hope  of 
the  poor.  There  is  undoubtedly  great  difference  in 
the  possible  development  of  individuals.  Not  every- 
body is  endowed  with  equal  capacities.  But  the  suc- 
cess of  the  children  of  the  poor  is  frequently  hampered 
by  environment.    They  are  not  protected  by  the  ma- 


328  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

terial  and  social  wealth  of  their  parents;  the  struggle 
is  hard,  and  depends  upon  a  thousand  and  one  factors 
over  which  they  have  no  control.  How  will  the  lady 
visitor  utilize  opportunities  for  the  best  possible  de- 
velopment of  the  children  of  the  given  family?  She 
will  definitely  ascertain  their  natural  abiHties,  she  will 
give  them  the  best  chance  for  their  education,  adapt- 
ing the  latter  to  their  particular  need;  she  will  watch 
their  progress  in  the  schools;  she  will  remain  in  close 
contact  with  the  teachers;  she  will  follow  their  stand- 
ing and  help  them  in  their  difficulties.  As  in  the  ques- 
tion of  their  health,  she  will  consult  experts  when  the 
problem  becomes  complicated.  If  they  display  ex- 
ceptional abiHties  or  talents,  she  will  not  let  them  re- 
main dormant.  She  will  watch  their  moral  atmos- 
phere; she  will  know  their  friends,  their  conduct  and 
their  ideals.  She  will  not  neglect  their  religious  train- 
ing; she  will  endeavor  to  strengthen  their  attachment 
to  their  homes,  their  love  of  their  parents,  friends, 
all  humanity.  When  the  time  comes  for  them  to  leave 
school  and  start  their  earning  career,  she  will  try  to 
place  them  so  that  they  can  advance  in  their  vocations, 
and  not  remain  wanderers  in  the  blind  alleys  of  our 
modern  industry.  She  will  know  their  employers, 
and  the  kind  of  employment  they  are  engaged  in. 
And  because  of  her  sincere,  kindly  and  intelligent  in- 
terest, the  children  will  learn  to  love  her  and  look  upon 
her  as  their  big  sister,  will  come  to  her  for  advice,  and 
for  the  encouragement  so  much  wanted  in  the  life  of 
the  young  generation  among  the  poor. 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  329 

11.  The  Struggle  for  Existence 

The  struggle  for  existence  saps  the  vitahty  of  the 
poor.  The  poor  depend  upon  their  own  abiUty  to  earn 
a  living.  The  Jewish  poor,  especially,  because  of  lack 
of  preparation,  or  ignorance  of  new  industrial  condi- 
tions to  which  they  are  not  yet  adapted,  or  because 
they  frequently  lack  knowledge  of  EngHsh,  must 
struggle  hard  and  incessantly  before  they  are  able  to 
gain  a  footing  and  earn  even  a  modest  wage.  The 
friendly  visitor  should  be  able  to  contribute  to  the 
solution  of  this  particular  problem.  She  will  know  the 
existing  opportunities  for  the  application  of  labor. 
She  ought  to  be  able  to  make  necessary  connections 
between  the  employer  and  employe.  She  will  analyze 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  a  given  occupation, 
she  will  utiHze  her  friendship  and  intelligence  in  se- 
curing proper  employment;  she  will  be  able  to  en- 
courage the  breadwinner  and  put  him  in  a  position  to 
increase  his  efficiency  and  earning  capacity. 

12.  Recreation  and  Amusement 

The  power  of  recreation  and  amusement  lessens  the 
unbearable  strain  of  stem  reality.  It  is  hardly  neces- 
sary to  emphasize  the  importance  of  recreation  in  the 
case  of  the  dreary  life  of  the  poor.  The  question  that 
confronts  the  friendly  visitor,  is  how  would  she,  under 
the  circumstances,  provide  for  this  particular  need. 
She  would  undoubtedly  draw  upon  home  resources 
first.  She  would  utilize  the  home  talent  for  dancing, 
music,  and  home  gatherings;  she  would  miss  no  oppor- 


330  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

tunity  to  celebrate  a  holiday,  a  bright  spot  in  a  poor 
man's  life.  Then  the  synagogue,  especially  in  the 
case  of  the  man,  could  be  of  great  service,  and  she 
would  encourage  the  man  in  his  active  participation 
in  synagogue  activities.  She  would  also  see  that  the 
social  side  of  different  organizations,  lodges,  mutual 
aid  societies,  and  so  on,  should  be  taken  advantage  of 
for  recreational  facilities. 

She  will  take  care  of  the  nets  spread  by  commer- 
cialized amusement  enterprizes.  She  will  protect  the 
members  of  the  family  from  the  saloon,  pool  room, 
dance  hall,  and  candy  store.  She  will  know  also  to 
what  extent  the  families  patronize  moving  pictures 
and  the  Jewish  theaters  of  the  neighborhood.  She 
will  utilize  all  possible  agencies  offering  wholesome 
amusement  such  as  the  settlements  and  social  centers. 
In  short,  she  will  give  serious  consideration  to  the 
subject  of  recreation. 

Such  are,  in  general,  the  different  possibilities  of 
useful  application  of  the  work  of  the  friendly  visitors. 
A  pretentious  program,  it  will  require  not  only  the 
motive  for  doing  good  and  a  sympathetic  attitude, 
but  intelligent  working  out,  continuous  effort,  energy, 
and  persistence.  The  time  has  passed  when  any  kindly 
disposed  lady  in  comfortable  circumstances  could  im- 
pose herself  upon  the  poor  as  their  adviser. 

Miss  Minnie  Low  said:  "A  woman  who  would  not 
willingly  send  a  dress  to  an  unskilled  dressmaker  for 
fear  that  a  piece  of  cloth  might  be  ruined,  goes  mthout 
hesitancy,  without  any  idea  how  to  treat  a  case  of 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  331 

poverty,  and  by  her  philanthropic  intentions,  often 
jeopardizes  the  future  of  an  entire  family.  No  one 
ought  to  be  encouraged  to  force  herself  on  the  poor  in 
a  personal  way  unless  she  is  in  training  and  under  the 
guidance  of  a  professional  worker."  ^ 

D.  Volunteer  Settlement  Workers 

This  term  impHes  men  and  women  volunteering  their 
services  in  connection  with  settlement  work  in  the  ac- 
tivities of  different  clubs  and  classes,  where  the  work 
deals  with  a  collective  group  rather  than  with  the  in- 
dividual. The  idea  of  volunteer  service  in  connection 
with  settlement  work  seems  to  be  one  of  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  this  modem  idea  of  personal  service.  The 
subject,  however,  referring  to  the  qualifications  of  the 
volunteers,  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  That  the 
rich  should  share  with  the  poor,  that  the  educated 
should  instruct  the  ignorant,  that  the  volunteers  should 
serve  as  examples  to  the  wicked,  are  primary  concepts 
of  social  service.  In  settlement  work,  however,  this 
adjustment  is  often  ignored,  and  almost  purposely  vio- 
lated. Settlement  workers,  as  a  rule,  take  for  granted 
that  anyone  not  coming  from  the  neglected  neighbor- 
hood can  contribute  his  services  to  the  neglected  neigh- 
borhood.    For  Jews,  this  is  quite  a  new  departure. 

In  the  past,  even  as  near  as  a  generation  or  two  ago, 
the  rich,  while  giving  generously  to  the  poor,  never 
expected  to  teach  them.    On  the  contrary,  the  poor 

1" Friendly  Visitors."  National  Conference  of  Jewish  Charities, 
Miss  Minnie  Low,  Chicago,  1900. 


332  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

"schnorrer"  was  supposed  to  pay  for  the  worldly  goods 
he  received  by  a  contribution  of  knowledge  and  the 
teaching  of  moral  lessons.  The  "schnorrer"  was 
brought  into  the  home  of  his  benefactor,  was  given  an 
honorary  place  at  the  table,  and  after  the  meal  was 
over,  delivered  his  oration  (Droshe)  for  the  good  of 
the  host  and  hostess  and  especially  for  the  benefit  of 
the  children.  While  enjoying  comfort  and  appreciat- 
ing their  economic  supremacy,  the  rich  never  failed  to 
pay  honor  to  the  learned  and  the  virtuous,  though 
poor  and  needy.  Conditions  have  changed;  the  poor 
of  to-day,  because  they  are  poor,  and  especially  be- 
cause they  have  lived  in  a  neglected  neighborhood,  are 
considered  to  be  in  need,  not  only  of  material  assistance, 
but  of  education  and  moral  training,  and  the  so-called 
better  half  of  society  takes  upon  itself  to  provide  them 
with  all  their  needs,  forgetting  that  only  yesterday, 
the  part  they  played  was  quite  different  from  the  one 
they  now  undertake.  Consequently,  they  may  not 
be  altogether  prepared,  or  fit  to  fulfill  it  properly.  Thus 
the  selection  of  volunteers  in  settlement  work  becomes 
a  delicate  matter.  The  fact  that  a  person  happens 
to  be  in  possession  of  money  does  not  qualify  him  or 
her  for  settlement  work;  the  desire  to  do  personal 
service  is  commendable;  the  motive  of  this  service 
could  be  easily  overlooked;  but  efficiency  and  positive 
quaUty  must  determine  the  eligibility  for  entering 
settlement  work.  The  following  tests  may  be  sug- 
gested in  determining  the  merits  of  a  candidate  for 
settlement,  personal  service: 


1- 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  333 

1.  WTiat  particular  subject  can  the  person  teach  the  neighbor- 
hood which  will  benefit  the  latter? 

2.  What  is  there  in  the  character  of  the  person  in  question 
that  the  neighborhood  should  take  for  an  example? 

3.  Is  the  person  wilUng  to  recognize  the  necessity  of  his  or 
her  own  improvement,  and  is  he  or  she  willing  to  learn  and 
accept  influences  from  contact  with  the  neglected  neighborhood? 

4.  Can  the  person  appreciate  the  strong  and  healthy  features 
existing  in  the  neglected  neighborhood  alongside  of  the  faults 
and  shortcomings? 

These  are  the  fundamental  conditions  of  a  settlement 
worker;  next  comes  the  selection  of  the  proper  field  of 
activity.  It  is  rather  a  waste  of  energy  to  place  a 
musician  to  teach  bookkeeping,  an  athlete  to  instruct 
domestic  science,  a  person  interested  in  law  to  conduct 
public  dances.  Still,  this  is  the  arrangement  in  almost 
every  settlement,  and  the  results  are  very  discourag- 
ing. There  are  some  persons  who  can  be  usefully  ap- 
plied to  almost  every  activity  of  the  settlement,  but 
these  are  exceptions,  and  cannot  be  taken  as  examples 
of  the  average  settlement  worker. 

E.  The  Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  Movement 

The  Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  organizations  have 
recently  entered  this  field.  The  Jewish  Big  Brothers 
Association  in  New  York  was  organized  in  19 10,  and 
now  niunbers  about  two  hundred  active  members. 
The  method,  which  is  adopted  with  a  fair  measure  of 
success,  consists  in  having  each  youngster,  who  shows 
a  tendency  to  commit  crime,  approached  by  a  Big 
Brother,  whose  example,  experience,  and  guidance  will 


334  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

enable  the  boy  to  regain  his  normal  place  in  the  family 
and  in  the  commimity  in  which  he  lives.  The  or- 
ganization has  representatives  at  the  courts,  and  in 
many  cases  succeeds  in  getting  cases  settled  without  a 
court  trial.  This  is  the  function  of  the  special  depart- 
ment, known  as  the  Bureau  of  Prevention,  Investiga- 
tion, and  Advice.  Incidentally,  the  organization  pro- 
vides employment  for  its  charges,  temporary  shelter 
to  those  who  need  it,  recreation  and  vacation  in  summer 
camps,  and  other  services. 

The  Cincinnati  Jewish  Big  Brothers  Association, 
established  in  191 1,  reports  a  membership  of  about 
four  hundred.  In  the  beginning  the  work  was  carried 
on  exclusively  with  boys  who  were  brought  before  the 
juvenile  court  and  were  placed  on  probation.  It  was 
only  a  matter  of  a  short  time,  before  it  was  realized 
that  the  so-called  bad  boy  was  not  the  only  one  who 
needed  a  Big  Brother,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  give 
as  many  boys  as  possible  an  opportunity  to  develop 
under  the  influence  of  a  Big  Brother.  The  organiza- 
tion now  emphasises  the  fact  that  it  is  not  an  asso- 
ciation of  probation  officers,  that  it  does  not  deal  ex- 
clusively with  bad  boys,  that  it  does  not  claim  the 
infallible  reclamation  of  a  boy  who  is  on  the  wrong 
path,  but  that  it  is  an  organization  which  endeavors 
through  close  contact  with  boys  in  a  congested  district 
to  prevent  delinquency,  and  to  save  them  from  in- 
fluences for  evil  that  are  so  potent  in  the  neglected 
neighborhood.^  In  its  further  growth,  however,  the 
1 "  Jewish  Charities,"  February,  1915. 


VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  335 

Big  Brothers  and  Big  Sisters  are  extending  their  ac- 
tivities, selecting  thek  charges  from  among  the  in- 
habitants of  the  congested  districts.  While  these  or- 
ganizations have  been  in  existence  for  only  a  few  years, 
the  results  already  achieved  in  the  prevention  of 
juvenile  delinquency  are  quite  telling. 

F.  Education  of  Jewish  Social  Workers 

As  early  as  1890,  scholarships  were  offered  to  college 
graduates  who  desired  to  receive  training  in  Jewish 
social  service,  and  while  five  young  men  availed  them- 
selves of  the  opportunity,  only  two  of  them  followed 
this  vocation.  Here  and  there  attempts  were  made  to 
organize  courses  on  Jewish  social  service  in  different 
cities.  Thus  in  Baltimore,  a  course  of  this  kind  was 
given  in  connection  with  the  Federation  of  Jewish 
Charities,  and  in  Chicago,  in  connection  with  the 
Hebrew  Institute.  In  1913,  Cincinnati  established  a 
school  of  Jewish  Social  Service  and  announced  quite 
a  comprehensive  program  of  theoretical  and  practical 
instruction.  This  school  was  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Jewish  Settlement  of  that  city.  While  it  attracted 
a  number  of  students,  residents  of  Cincinnati,  there 
seemed  to  be  difficulty  in  getting  students  from  out  of 
town.  In  191 5,  the  Jewish  Chautauqua  Society,  in 
co-operation  with  the  National  Association  of  Jewish 
Social  Workers  opened  a  summer  school  in  New  York 
city  for  Jewish  social  workers,  and  in  191 6,  a  sepa- 
rate organization  established  what  is  kno^vn  as  the 
School   for   Jewish   Communal   Workers,   under   the 


336  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

leadership  of  Dr.  S.  Benderly.  This  school  is  to  follow 
a  very  ambitious  program  and  comprises  a  four  years' 
course,  for  which  credit  is  given  in  Columbia  University. 
Thus  the  long  felt  want  for  the  proper  education  of 
Jewish  social  workers  has  been  satisfied,  at  least  to 
the  extent  that  there  is  already  a  special  institution  of 
learning  in  this  particular  line. 

Chapter  Eighteen.    Volunteer  Service 
Questions 

1.  Give  the  history  of  friendly  visiting. 

2.  What  is  the  modem  conception  of  friendly  visiting? 

3.  Outline  a  definite  program  in  regard  to  the  work  of  friendly 
visiting. 

4.  What  are  the  necessary  qualifications  of  volunteer  settle- 
ment workers? 

5.  Describe  the  Big  Sisters  and  Big  Brothers  Movements. 


xrx 

ADMINISTRATION 

A.  Budget  Making 

It  is  self-evident  that  the  maintenance  of  an  organiza- 
tion, the  raising  of  funds  and  their  proper  disposition, 
form  an  important  item  in  the  routine  of  an  institution, 
and  require  serious  consideration.  Efficient  manage- 
ment demands  a  definite  plan  and  a  program  of  all 
activities.  An  organization  must  know,  approximately, 
the  amount  of  revenue  it  can  expect  from  resources  on 
hand,  at  least  for  the  immediate  future.  It  must  ar- 
range its  activities  so  as  to  correspond  with  the  funds 
available.  It  has  to  determine  more  or  less  exactly 
what  kind  and  the  extent  of  the  activities  it  will  pursue, 
hence,  the  necessity  of  proper  budget  making.  The 
proposed  budget  is  an  estimate  of  proposed  expenses, 
based  upon  past  experience.  It  presupposes  the  definite 
knowledge  of  the  actual  expenses  for  the  period  pre- 
ceding the  one  for  which  the  budget  is  made.  These 
expenses  are  usually  thoroughly  scrutinized,  possible 
economies  are  suggested,  and  additional  appropriations 
made  when  necessary.  Frequently,  in  making  out 
budgets,  comparisons  are  drawn  with  the  expenses  of 
similar  institutions.  Unfortunately,  there  is  very  little 
uniformity  in  the  accounting  of  the  different  organiza- 
tions, and  proper  comparison  is  almost  impossible.    It 

337 


338  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

is,  therefore,  important  that  close  attention  be  paid  to 
proper  accounting,  and  that  an  attempt  be  made  to 
introduce  uniformity  in  this  respect  among  the  different 
organizations.  It  is  suggested  that  a  proper  budget 
should  include  at  least  the  following  main  divisions: 

1.  Personal  services. 

2.  Services  other  than  personal. 

3.  Material  relief  and  maintenance. 

Personal  service  deals  with  the  expense  of  adminis- 
tration, and  includes  salaries.  The  public  is  exceedingly 
interested  in  what  proportion  of  the  funds  raised  for  an 
organization  is  spent  in  salaries  for  administration.  It 
also  wishes  to  know  what  other  expenses  besides  salaries 
are  to  be  deducted  from  the  sums  given  to  the  organiza- 
tion before  the  share  that  the  beneficiaries  get  directly  is 
ascertained.  This  includes  services  other  than  personal, 
the  maintenance  of  buildings,  office  expenses,  supplies, 
etc.;  last  comes  the  material  relief  and  maintenance, 
indicating  the  exact  amount  that  goes  directly  to  the 
beneficiaries.  In  Jewish  philanthropic  efforts  especially, 
it  is  quite  usual  to  meet  a  situation  where  the  actual 
expense  is  in  excess  of  the  income,  thus  causing  a  deficit. 
The  latter  is  usually  made  up  by  a  special,  strenuous 
campaign  for  added  funds. 

B.  Analysis  of  Bxjdgets 

It  is  legitimate  to  ask  how  much  is  spent  for  the 
collection  of  funds.  The  Jews  in  this  respect  can  show 
considerable  economy  as  compared  with  other  agencies. 
However,  some  of  our  national  institutions  where  the 


ADMINISTRATION 


339 


enipIo3Tiient  of  traveling  agents  becomes  a  necessity, 
pay  sometimes  as  high  as  thirty-three  to  forty  per  cent 
for  their  collections.  On  the  other  hand,  in  large 
federated  organizations,  to  which  most  of  their  income 
comes  unsolicited,  such  expenses  are  reduced  to  as  low 
as  one  and  a  half  to  two  and  a  half  per  cent  of  the 
amount  collected. 

Generally  speaking,  from  six  to  ten  per  cent  is  a  happy 
medium.  In  the  question  of  rehef  distribution,  twelve 
and  a  half  per  cent  seems  to  be  the  amount  generally 
spent  for  administration,  while  in  child  caring  and  other 
institutions,  the  cost  of  administration  is  usually  fifty 
per  cent;  in  educational  agencies  it  reaches  seventy-five 
per  cent  and  more.  It  is  evident  that  much  depends 
upon  the  character  of  the  work.  The  public,  however, 
makes  little  distinction,  and  often  institutions,  which 
from  the  very  nature  of  their  work  require  large  ad- 
ministrative expenses,  receive  undeserved  criticism.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  reduced  expense  is  not  the 
criterion  of  efiiciency  of  an  agency.  One  thing,  however, 
is  certain,  each  organization  should  be  able  to  give  to 
the  public  a  definite  statement  as  to  its  actual  expenses 
that  will  show  the  exact  distribution  of  funds  in  regard 
to  the  three  headings  stated  before.  Then,  a  per  capita 
allowance  can  be  easily  calculated  and  be  taken  as  a 
unit  of  comparison  for  different  organizations.  Under 
the  present  indefinite  accounting,  such  comparative 
accounting  is  impossible.  Besides  a  budget  of  ex- 
penses, a  program  of  activities  should  be  definitely 
arranged.    This  is  especially  important  in  connection 


34©  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

with  educational  and  social  activities,  where  plans  re- 
quire preliminary  arrangement,  and  should  not  be  left 
to  the  last  minute  for  adjustment.  Usually  these 
programs  are  arranged  for  a  season  in  advance.  Each 
organization  finds  it  necessary  to  issue  periodic  state- 
ments as  to  its  activities,  comprising  not  only  a  de- 
scription of  its  work,  but  actual  figures  as  to  its  finan- 
cial transactions,  attendance,  cost  per  capita,  quantity 
of  work  performed,  etc.  As  the  compilation  of  this  data 
becomes  quite  a  task,  a  system  of  recording  daily 
transactions  should  be  introduced  in  such  a  way  that 
these  public  statements  can  be  easily  made  without  any 
special  calculations.  In  this  case,  as  well  as  in  account- 
ing, a  plea  should  be  made  for  uniformity  of  work. 

Considerable  misunderstandings  frequently  take  place 
in  the  management  of  the  different  social  service  agen- 
cies because  of  a  lack  of  a  definite  interpretation  of  the 
interrelation  of  the  different  factors  composing  the  ad- 
ministration. It  is  very  important,  therefore,  to  de- 
fine clearly  the  entire  scheme  of  organization,  and  to 
ascertain  the  relationship  of  the  different  constituent 
parts.  This  is  best  obtained  through  a  graphic  repre- 
sentation of  the  different  agencies,  indicating  also  the 
functions  and  actual  relationships.  A  chart  of  this 
kind  should  show  the  source  of  authority,  the  functions 
that  are  vested  in  the  different  centers,  the  connections 
and  interrelations  of  the  different  groups  of  activities, 
and  as  a  whole,  should  present  the  complete  picture  of 
the  entire  organization.  The  following  is  a  sample  of  an 
organization  chart  of  the  United  Jewish  Charities  of 


Plate  I 
341 


342  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Cincinnati,  as  published  in  the  report  of  the  organiza- 
tion in  1916. 

C.  Applications  for  Relief 

In  the  early  days  of  relief  organizations,  applications 
were  made  to  and  acted  upon  by  the  entire  Board  of 
Trustees  or  a  committee  appointed  for  this  purpose. 
The  committee  met  once  or  more  a  week.  Applicants 
were  admitted  one  by  one.  They  stated  their  appeal 
and  the  committee  decided  whether  rehef  should  be 
granted  or  not,  as  well  as  the  amount  and  methods  of 
the  grant.  With  the  growth  of  the  relief  problem,  this 
method  became  inadequate;  the  apphcants  were  too 
many,  the  problems  too  compKcated,  and  the  inter\dews 
rather  embarrassing.  It  is  only  in  a  few  cities  that  this 
method  is  still  in  vogue.  Generally  speaking,  however, 
apphcations  are  made  to  one  paid  worker,  a  central 
office  is  designated  for  this  purpose,  and  certain  hours 
are  assigned  for  the  interviewing  of  applicants. 

In  some  cities,  apphcations  are  received  only  a  few 
days  in  the  week,  while  in  others  the  office  is  open  daily, 
except  Saturday,  and  sometimes  even  in  the  evenings. 
Whatever  the  arrangements  may  be  for  regular  apph- 
cations, a  method  by  which  emergency  cases  may  be 
handled  without  delay  is  necessary,  and  every  properly 
conducted  relief  agency  makes  provision  for  this  par- 
ticular need.  In  New  York,  and  in  many  other  cities, 
applications  are  received  by  mail  and  by  telephone; 
while  in  others  it  is  required  that  the  head  of  the  family 
make  appHcation  in  person.    There  can  be  no  doubt 


ADMINISTRATION 


343 


that  personal  applications  save  at  times  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  organization,  but  on  the  other  hand,  they 
spell  hardship  to  many  an  appUcant,  and  are  liable 
to  produce  rather  an  unwholesome  atmosphere  around 
the  office,  create  congestion  and  a  consequent  rush  in 
handling  cases.  From  this  standpoint,  appHcations  in 
writing  are  more  advisable.  The  reception  of  appli- 
cants for  relief  is  arranged  differently  in  different  cities. 
In  some  it  is  very  formal,  almost  institutional,  in  others 
it  is  homelike,  and  often  without  any  special  provisions. 

D.  Administration  Facilities 

Experience  suggests  that  certain  accommodations 
should  be  provided.  The  reception  room  for  applicants 
should  be  a  large,  light,  well- ventilated  room;  it  should 
have  ample  sitting  capacity,  chairs  rather  than  benches, 
and  should  be  furnished  in  a  simple  but  cheerful  way. 
A  few  pictures,  a  table,  a  few  odd  chairs,  some  period- 
icals, make  it  more  attractive  than  long  wooden  benches 
and  a  row  of  files  and  closets.  Wherever  possible,  a 
classification  of  the  applicants  should  be  made,  and 
two  or  more  rooms  be  given  over  as  reception  rooms. 
The  applications  should  be  made  privately,  in  a  sep- 
arate room,  where  the  applicant  and  the  interviewer 
may  talk  over  the  proposition  without  being  disturbed 
or  overheard  by  outsiders.  The  room  where  the  inter- 
view is  taking  place  does  not  need  to  be  too  large,  but  it 
should  not  remind  one  of  a  cell.  It  should  be  cozily 
furnished,  and  outside  of  the  desk,  record  case  and  a  few 
chairs,  should  also  include  a  few  pictures,  books,  and 


344 


JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 


SO  on,  to  make  the  room  comfortable.  The  interview 
room,  in  addition  to  an  entrance  from  the  reception 
room,  should  have  an  exit  door,  from  which  the  appli- 
cant may  leave  the  building  after  the  interview  is  over 
without  being  compelled  to  pass  the  reception  room 
again  and  come  in  contact  with  the  apphcants  awaiting 
their  turn.  Another  door  leading  to  the  office  is  quite 
an  accommodation,  for  whatever  the  interviewer  wishes 
to  communicate  to  the  office,  he  may  do  it  without 


passing  into  the  reception  room.  The  above  dia- 
gram illustrates  the  arrangement  of  rooms  required  by 
efficiently  conducted  relief  societies. 

Naturally,  the  plan  permits  of  many  modifications, 
but  it  indicates  the  main  requirements  of  comfortable 
quarters  and  privacy. 

E.  Interviewing  the  Applicant 

Efforts  should  be  made  to  avoid  unnecessary  wait- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  applicant,  so  often  complained 


ADMINISTRATION  345 

of  in  different  cities.  When  the  numbers  are  great, 
applicants  should  be  taken  in  rotation.  In  some  in- 
stances women  should  be  given  the  preference.  Too 
formal  a  treatment  of  the  applicant  in  the  reception 
room  should  also  be  avoided.  As  a  rule,  if  the  recep- 
tion room  is  properly  fitted  out,  the  applicants  need 
very  little  supervision. 

The  interviewer,  as  all  charity  workers,  should  be 
a  person  of  tact  and  of  even  temperament.  The  ap- 
pHcant  should  be  given  an  opportunity  to  present  his 
case,  and  the  interview  should  be  conducted  in  a  low 
voice.  The  facts,  as  presented,  should  be  immediately 
put  in  writing,  and  outside  of  emergency  relief,  no 
final  action  should  be  taken  until  proper  and  thorough 
investigation  is  made.  The  interviewer  must  avoid 
verbosity,  but  should  rather  devote  his  attention  to 
obtaining  the  setting  of  the  application  and  all  the 
information  that  may  be  needed.  The  interview  of  the 
applicant  may  lead  to  granting  relief,  refusing  relief, 
deferring  action  until  investigation  is  made,  or  refer- 
ring the  application  to  another  agency. 

I.  Granting  Relief 

In  granting  relief  in  the  office,  it  is  usually  arranged 
that  the  applicant  sign  a  receipt  of  the  rehef  given  by 
check.  The  transaction  should  be  referred  to  the 
office.  He  may  also  be  given  an  order,  either  for  food 
supplies  or  for  other  commodities.  In  all  these  in- 
stances, the  granting  of  relief  in  the  homes  of  the  ap- 
plicant by  the  visitor,  is  preferable  to  that  given  in 


346  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  office.  In  some  cities,  almost  the  entire  relief  is 
given  by  the  visitor  at  the  home  of  the  needy,  and  even 
regular  recipients  of  charity  receive  their  allowances 
in  their  own  homes.  In  large  cities  like  New  York 
and  Chicago,  the  one  who  receives  the  application  in 
the  office,  is  not  in  a  position  to  handle  the  case  as  a 
whole,  and  the  investigation  is  usually  referred  to 
special  investigators  or  visitors.  In  small  communities, 
the  application  is  received  and  acted  upon,  as  well  as 
investigated,  by  the  same  person. 

Whatever  the  method  may  be,  an  effort  must  be 
made  to  make  repeated  personal  appHcations  at  the 
office  unnecessary,  and  if  the  visit  to  the  home  becomes 
too  difficult,  the  recipient  should  be  given  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  the  granted  allowance  without  extra 
burden  and  without  the  unnecessary  delay  of  the 
waiting  room.  Thus,  in  some  cities,  a  specified  time 
is  designated  for  the  regular  recipients  of  relief.  When 
relief  is  given  in  kind,  be  it  food  or  clothing,  a  separate 
department  should  be  conducted  for  this  purpose  in 
which  are  given  out  things  from  the  office  directly. 
If  the  relief  is  given,  however,  in  groceries  or  stores, 
this  should  be  handled  simultaneously  with  the  cash 
disbursement. 

2.  Refusal  to  Grant  Relief 

In  case  the  result  of  an  interview  with  an  applicant 
is  the  refusal  of  relief,  the  situation  becomes  more 
difficult  to  handle.  The  refusal  should  be  based  upon 
definite  reasons,  and  the  attitude  of  the  organization 


ADMINISTRATION  347 

should  be  explained  to  the  applicant  as  fully  as  possible. 
Argument,  however,  should  be  avoided,  and  the  inter- 
viewer should  be  careful  in  showing  the  apphcant  that 
he  or  she  is  acting  only  as  an  agent  of  the  organization, 
and  consequently  is  compelled  to  act  as  the  situation 
may  require.  The  refusal  of  rehef  may  be  based  upon 
many  grounds.  First,  the  apphcant,  as  a  non-resident, 
may  not  be  entitled  to  rehef  from  given  organization; 
second,  the  apphcant  may  be  referred  to  another  agency 
handling  cases  of  this  specific  character;  third,  the 
apphcant  may  be  given  an  ultimatum  requiring  him 
to  accept  certain  form  of  rehef,  without  which  the 
organization  would  refuse  to  handle  the  case;  and 
lastly  the  apphcant  may  be  refused  assistance  because 
he  may  have  other  resources  and  can  get  along  without 
charity  interference.  In  the  last  case,  investigation 
usually  reveals  discrepancies  between  the  apphcant's 
statement,  and  the  real  condition  of  affairs  as  reported 
by  the  investigator.  Unreasonable  demands  on  the 
part  of  the  applicant  are  frequently  trying  to  the 
interviewer,  and  here  it  is  that  the  positive,  definite, 
calm  attitude  of  the  social  worker  is  of  great  impor- 
tance. The  same  is  true  when  relief  granted  is  not 
adequate  from  the  standpomt  of  the  applicant,  or  when 
the  form  of  rehef  granted  does  not  meet  his  approval. 

3.  Investigation 

Applications,  either  by  mail  or  in  person,  are  in 
themselves  rarely  sufficient  to  give  enough  data  to 
decide  upon  the  real  merits  of  the  case,  or  to  justify 


348  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

the  working  out  of  a  plan  of  action.  Investigation 
therefore  becomes  necessary.  The  information  ob- 
tained through  the  personal  interview  with  the  ap- 
plicant is  verified  by  investigation.  A  written  report 
is  made  of  the  condition  of  the  cases  as  they  were 
found.  This,  in  a  general  way,  contains  the  name  and 
address  of  the  applicant,  the  family  unit  to  which  the 
applicant  belongs,  the  length  of  time  the  appHcant 
has  been  in  this  country,  the  length  of  his  residence  in 
the  city,  his  age,  nativity,  occupation  and  earnings, 
and  a  statement  of  the  immediate  conditions  leading 
up  to  the  application.  Certain  clues  are  also  investi- 
gated. The  landlord,  the  storekeeper,  the  employer, 
the  teacher,  the  neighbor,  the  society  to  which  the 
applicant  may  belong,  are  usually  utilized  in  getting 
necessary  information,  especially  if  they  can  throw 
light  upon  the  condition  of  the  family.  The  ability 
to  use  these  clues  to  advantage,  and  the  careful  and 
tactful  way  in  which  this  investigation  is  made  is  the 
criterion  of  the  efficiency  of  the  investigator.  In  mak- 
ing this  investigation,  great  care  should  be  taken  not 
to  injure  the  self-respect  of  the  applicant  and  the 
family  investigated,  and  to  obtain  information  with- 
out hurting  the  appHcant  by  making  it  public  prop- 
erty. Because  of  the  difficulty  that  proper  investiga- 
tion presents,  this  investigation  should  be  made  by  a 
professional  worker,  and  should  not  be  entrusted,  as 
is  done  in  many  cities,  to  volunteer,  inexperienced 
persons,  who  often  impose  upon  the  private  life  of  the 
applicant,  assume  the  role  of  detective  and  are  re- 


ADMINISTRATION  349 

sponsible  for  the  enmity  that  exists  between  the  re- 
cipients of  charity  and  the  agents  of  reHef  societies. 
While  the  personal  impression  of  the  investigator  is 
of  great  moment  in  deciding  the  merit  of  the  cases, 
great  care  should  be  taken  in  basing  the  conclusions 
of  the  investigation  upon  actual  facts  rather  than 
subjective  likes  or  dislikes. 

After  registering  all  the  facts  pertaining  to  the  case, 
and  formulating  the  apphcation  as  well  as  the  actual 
needs  of  the  case,  the  course  of  action  must  be  deter- 
mined. In  some  cases,  palliative  relief  is  granted  at 
once, — for  that  matter,  sometunes  even  before  the 
thorough  examination, — but  in  the  majority  of  cases 
this  is  only  a  temporary  arrangement.  Continuous 
relief  is  granted  only  in  such  cases  where  all  other  re- 
sources are  exhausted.  This  should  be  ascertained 
through  following  up  all  the  clues:  Does  the  person 
possess  any  assets  of  his  own?  Is  he  entitled  to  allow- 
ances from  societies  and  lodges  to  which  he  may  be- 
long? Are  there  any  relatives  who  are  capable  of  help- 
ing the  family?  Is  there  a  way  by  which  the  income 
of  the  family  may  be  augmented?  Is  the  budget  of 
the  family  reduced  to  the  desired  minimum?  What 
organizations  or  agencies  should  be  brought  into  play 
to  work  out  the  problem?  What  are  the  conditions 
that  ought  to  be  remedied  and  changed?  All  of  these 
should  be  definitely  ascertained,  and  a  definite  plan 
of  action  determined  upon.  Naturally,  there,  as  in 
other  plans  in  handling  human  factors,  we  find  that 
the  plans  as  previously  arranged,  are  not  always  realized 


3SO  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

in  practice.  Necessity  may  dictate  certain  changes 
and  modifications,  but  the  handling  of  the  case  must 
indicate  that  a  definite  plan  and  method  pursued  by 
the  agency  exists.  For  this  reason,  repeated  visits 
by  the  investigator  may  become  necessary,  not  only 
for  investigation,  but  also  for  advice,  instruction,  and 
supervision.  Thus,  in  well-organized  charities,  the 
visiting  nurse  and  the  visiting  housekeeper  become 
an  integral  part  of  the  organization. 

F.  Record  Keeping 

Without  a  definite  system  of  records,  it  is  diflicult  to 
keep  track  of  the  applicant,  to  know  his  standing,  to 
recollect  what  has  been  previously  granted,  and  a 
myriad  of  other  necessary  details.  It  will  not  do  to 
trust  to  momentary  impressions  of  memory  experi- 
ences. Without  a  system  of  records,  the  efficient  ad- 
ministration of  relief  to  the  needy,  protection  against 
fraud,  is  an  utter  impossibihty.  In  addition  to  the 
aforesaid,  the  modern  interpretation  of  adequate  relief 
to  the  deserving,  presupposes  not  only  the  giving  of 
material  assistance,  but  also  the  handling  of  the  entire 
family  group  and  the  use  of  all  possible  agencies  and 
resources  for  the  rehabilitation  of  the  individual  ap- 
plicant as  weU  as  the  entire  family  unit  of  which  he  is 
a  part.  Hence,  the  necessity  of  a  full  account  and  a 
full  description  of  the  famihes  handled  by  relief  agen- 
cies. This  leads  to  the  introduction  of  the  record  sys- 
tem in  relief  work. 


ADMINISTRATION  3  5 1 

I.  The  Record  Book 
The  primitive  method  was  very  simple — merely  a 
book  wherein  each  application,  the  judgment,  and  the 
disposition  of  the  case  were  recorded.  This  entry 
usually  dealt  only  with  the  appHcant,  seldom  gave 
information  of  the  composition  of  the  family,  and 
rarely  presented  sufficient  data  for  continuous,  logical, 
and  constructive  pohcy.  Moreover,  subsequent  appH- 
cations  were  recorded  chronologically  and,  as  a  result,  it 
was  difficult  to  follow  the  development  of  a  single  case 
without  referring  to  former  entries.  Frequently  an 
index  to  the  book  was  made,  containing  references  to 
pages,  on  which  were  to  be  found  references  to  a  single 
case.  Clumsy  as  this  arrangement  was  it  proved  work- 
able in  small  communities,  where  the  number  of  cases 
was  insignificant,  and  where  the  persons  treating  the 
case  knew  the  details  and  remembered  them  intimately. 
It  is  impossible  to  use  this  system,  however,  where  the 
field  is  extensive.  Nor  is  this  method  of  any  value  for 
future  reference,  when  the  material  may  be  put  to  some 
practical  or  theoretical  use. 

2.  Individual  Records 

Hence,  at  present,  the  system  of  individual  case 
records  is  generally  in  vogue.  The  importance  of  case 
records  has  been  sufficiently  emphasized  by  non- Jewish 
agencies.  Efforts  have  been  made  to  introduce  some 
uniformity  m  the  records  of  the  different  organizations 
throughout  the  country.  In  the  case  of  the  Jewish  relief 
agencies,  certain  minor  particulars  have  to  be  observed 


352  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

and  the  usual  records  are  modified  in  accordance  with 
specific  requirements.  Items  of  great  import,  such  as 
intemperance,  illegitimacy,  etc.,  are  of  little  conse- 
quence in  Jewish  work.  On  the  other  hand,  the  record 
of  previous  residence,  immigration,  citizenship,  and 
industrial  efiiciency  should  receive  special  attention  in 
the  Jewish  relief  record.  Again,  Jewish  relief  agencies 
usually  handle  the  case  as  a  unit  continuously  for  a  long 
period  of  years,  as  opposed  to  the  non- Jewish  agencies, 
which  usually  refer  the  case  to  an  institution,  and  so 
treat  most  of  their  cases  temporarily  or  at  best  for  an 
exceedingly  short  period  of  time.  These,  in  the  main, 
are  the  primary  reasons  why  Jewish  relief  agencies  are 
using  records  adapted  to  their  particular  needs  rather 
than  using  the  forms  devised  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foun- 
dation for  the  use  of  non- Jewish  agencies.  Jewish 
relief  records  usually  consist  of  an  envelope  or  folder, 
on  the  face  of  which  information  is  given  for  the  identifi- 
cation of  the  case,  and  such  other  relevant  data  to  which 
reference  is  frequently  made.  These  consist  of  the 
name  of  the  applicant,  his  address,  the  names  of  the 
other  members  of  the  family  unit,  social  status,  occupa- 
tion, earnings,  length  of  residence  in  the  country  and 
city,  and  so  forth.  Within  the  envelope  are  placed 
different  cards  and  information  pertaining  to  the  rec- 
ords. The  usual  size  is  four  by  eight  inches,  although 
lately,  a  tendency  has  been  noticed  to  make  the  folder 
large  enough  to  contain  letter  size,  running  case  records 
without  a  fold.  To  facihtate  handling  of  records,  it  is 
necessary  to  have  the  information  in  some  uniform 


ADMINISTRATION  353 

system.  Different  arrangements  are  adopted  by  differ- 
ent organizations.  The  information  desired  is  noted  by 
titles  and  sub-titles,  suggesting  in  this  way  to  the  person 
in  charge  what  are  the  particular  items  to  be  inserted. 
It  has  been  felt  for  some  time  that  the  records  lack 
homogeneity,  and  in  this  connection,  the  following 
description  of  an  existing  record  is  given,  which  with 
some  modifications  could  probably  be  adapted  to  other 
conditions.^ 

As  Plate  II  indicates,  the  record  consists  of  a  folder, 
one  side  of  which  is  shorter  than  the  other,  so  that  when 
the  folder  is  closed,  the  rear  side  projects  over  the 
cover.  On  the  top  of  the  longer  side,  the  first  entry  is 
made  of  the  applicant.  The  first  line  of  the  longer  side 
is  divided  into  forty-three  spaces — twelve  devoted  to 
the  months,  and  the  balance  to  the  days.  These  spaces 
are  used  for  an  automatic  ticket  device;  metallic  flags  of 
different  colors — each  color  denoting  some  special  pur- 
pose,— are  attached  to  the  certain  day  of  the  certain 
month  when  special  attention  must  be  given  the  record, 
such  as  the  medical  examination,  collection  of  a  loan, 
report  from  a  friendly  visitor,  etc.  The  records  are 
gone  over  daily,  and  those  needing  special  attention  are 
removed  from  the  files  and  the  matter  attended  to. 
Next,  reference  is  made  to  the  name,  the  address,  the 
housing  conditions,  the  length  of  stay  in  this  country 
and  in  the  city.  The  outside  of  the  folder  is  arranged 
in  such  a  way  as  to  give  an  opportunity  to  record 
changes  of  residence,  housing  conditions,  and  rental. 
»  Form  used  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  by  the  U.  J.  C. 


Plate  rr 

354 


ADMINISTRATION  355 

Space  is  left  to  record  the  varying  budget  and  income  of 
the  family,  and  also  families  and  agencies  interested  in 
the  case.  The  inside  of  the  folder  is  divided  into  col- 
umns, one  being  assigned  to  each  member  of  the  family, 
where  his  earnings  and  employer,  or  his  school  and 
grade  can  be  denoted  as  they  change  from  time  to  time. 
On  the  back  of  the  folder  space  is  pro\'ided  for  a  brief 
summary  of  the  case  at  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year. 
Within  the  folder,  on  a  special  white  sheet,  called  the 
running  case  record,  are  entered  the  reports  of  the  in- 
vestigators, and  the  various  entries  in  the  handling  of 
the  case,  showing  the  number  of  visits,  interviews,  etc. 
A  special  sheet,  Plate  III,  presents  an  opportunity  for 
the  entry  of  the  expenses  of  the  case  upon  a  functional 
basis.  Plate  IV  represents  the  History  Sheet  where 
notation  is  made  of  the  work,  results  and  observations 
and  a  record  kept  of  the  visits  and  character  of  service 
performed.  Plate  V  shows  a  special  card  used  for  the 
record  of  children  where  the  housing  conditions,  the 
health  and  the  school  records  are  indicated.  This  card 
is  usually  renewed  every  year. 

3.  Filing  Records 

Records  are  usually  filed  numerically,  in  which  case,  a 
special,  alphabetically  arranged  card  catalogue  is  main- 
tained for  ready  reference.  It  has  been  found  expedient 
to  separate  active  or  current  cases  from  the  dormant 
cases  in  order  to  facihtate  the  gathering  of  statistical 
data.  For  it  is  quite  evident,  that  in  addition  to  the  di- 
rect use  of  records,  they  present  important  data  for  re- 


CASE  No.                             NAN4E 

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ADMINISTRATION 


359 


search  work,  and  consequently  the  keeping  of  records 
should  be  carefully  followed  as  a  means  of  collecting 
scientific  material.  The  records  are  kept  either  in  a 
wooden  or  metallic  file,  although  the  use  of  the  latter  has 
not  become  widespread  because  the  intrinsic  value  of 
records  is  not  yet  universally  recognized.  A  properly 
filled  record  of  a  rehef  society  should  show  definitely  the 
status  of  the  case  at  the  time  of  the  first  application;  it 
should  indicate  the  circumstances  leading  up  to  de- 
pendency, as  well  as  the  different  clues  which  should  be 
followed,  either  for  the  sake  of  further  information  that 
may  be  gained,  or  for  the  co-operation  and  help  that 
can  be  acquired  from  the  different  sources.  Thus  the 
relatives  and  friends  and  the  landlord  and  the  doctor 
and  the  teacher  and  the  employer  and  the  lodges  and 
societies  all  should  be  indicated.  The  records  should 
also  show  to  what  extent  these  clues  were  utilized,  what 
was  the  actual  material  help  given  to  the  family,  what 
was  the  amount  and  character  of  the  social  service 
rendered,  what  were  the  subsequent  changes  that  fol- 
lowed, and  last,  but  not  least,  what  was  the  final  out- 
come of  the  case  when  the  further  interference  of  the 
relief  agency  became  superfluous.  A  record  which  in- 
dicates assistance  given  without  showing  the  further 
condition  of  the  family,  misses  the  most  important 
point  in  constructive  philanthropy,  and  indicates  either 
inefficient  treatment  or  a  poor  method  of  recording  the 
actual  workings  of  the  relief  organization. 

The  importance  of  records  is  not  limited  to  relief 
agencies  only.    Every  social  service  organization  should 


360  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

have  a  definite  system  of  records,  giving  an  account  of 
each  individual  with  whom  the  organization  comes  in 
contact.  In  child-caring  agencies,  the  previous  history 
of  the  child  should  be  carefully  stated;  the  physical 
condition,  the  conduct,  the  educational  progress,  should 
be  periodically  noted,  so  that  in  later  years,  the  entire 
development  of  the  child  can  be  seen  from  the  individual 
record  of  the  institutions.  While  efficient  records  are 
not  always  an  index  of  high  standing  of  an  institution, 
the  lack  of  the  former  is  a  true  index  of  inefficiency. 
This  is  appHcable  to  any  kind  of  an  institution. 

In  settlement  work,  however,  it  is  rather  difficult  to 
keep  a  complete  individual  account  of  the  constituency, 
and  it  is  even  an  open  question  whether  it  is  desirable 
to  insist  upon  information  that  cannot  be  obtained 
without  the  jeopardizing  of  the  entire  spirit  of  the 
institution. 

With  the  multiplicity  of  social  agencies  and  specializa- 
tion of  their  functions,  it  is  evident  that  one  family  may 
be  administered  to  by  more  than  one  organization.  This 
frequently  leads  to  overlapping  and  duplication.  In 
order  to  get  better  co-operation  between  different 
agencies,  and  protect  the  pubHc  from  imposition,  the 
idea  of  a  central  bureau  of  registration  has  been  de- 
vised, and  its  usefulness  demonstrated  in  almost  every 
large  city.  Usually  the  Associated  Charities  maintain 
this  particular  activity,  though  lately  special  agencies 
under  different  names  conduct  what  is  known  as  a 
confidential  exchange, — a  kind  of  a  clearing  house  for 
charity  recipients.    In  the  Jewish  field,  this  arrange- 


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Plate  VI 
361 


362  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

ment  is  of  recent  origin.  In  191 2,  Miss  Cecil  B.  Wiener 
brought  up  this  question  before  the  National  Con- 
ference of  Jewish  Charities  in  Cleveland.  It  seems 
that  simultaneously  with  this,  the  Jewish  social 
workers  of  New  Jersey  contemplated  the  establish- 
ment of  a  confidential  exchange  for  Jewish  organiza- 
tions. In  19 13,  Chicago  established  the  first  Jewish 
confidential  exchange,  known  as  the  Registration 
Bureau  of  the  Jewish  Charities  of  Chicago. 

In  Cincinnati,  the  Bureau  of  Jewish  Social  Service 
estabhshed  in  19 15  a  central  registration  department. 
This  new  departure  in  keeping  track  of  social  service 
activities  undoubtedly  leads  to  better  understanding 
and  better  co-operation  among  the  existing  agencies. 

In  New  York  City,  the  Bureau  of  Philanthropic 
Research  was  established  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Council  of  Jewish  Communal  Institutions.  The  Bureau 
intends  to  conduct  a  survey  of  the  needs  and  resources 
of  the  community.  In  addition  to  investigating  and  dis- 
pensing information  concerning  various  philanthropic 
activities,  it  is  expected  that  it  will  bring  about  among 
them  closer  co-ordination  and  co-operation. 

Chapter  Nineteen.   Administration 
Questions 

1.  Explain  the  meaning  and  function  of  a  budget. 

2.  Discuss  the  relation  of  administrative  expense  to  the  entire 
amount  of  the  budget. 

3.  Describe  proper  room  facilities  for  a  relief  agency. 

4.  State  the  proper  attitude  for  an  interviewer  for  relief. 

5.  Describe  different  forms  of  relief. 


XX 

THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE 

A.  Philanthropic  Effort  in  the  Synagogue 

History  repeats  itself,  and  philanthropic  efifort  in 
the  United  States  indicates  stages  and  settings  similar 
to  those  of  other  countries.  Here  also  the  cemetery, 
then  the  synagogue  were  the  first  manifestations  of 
Jewish  social  activity  and  when  poverty  became  a 
problem,  the  synagogue  assumed  features  of  a  rehef 
agency.  All  of  our  early  charitable  institutions  found 
their  origin  within  the  synagogue;  there  was  instilled 
the  inspiration;  there  the  funds  were  gathered,  and 
from  there  were  formulated  the  plans  and  details  of 
administration.  The  synagogue  of  yore  was  the  unify- 
ing center  of  Judaism;  it  was  the  one  place  where  all 
the  Jews  met  as  Jews  on  a  common  ground. 

But  times  have  changed.  Though  still  adhering  to 
the  monotheistic  conception  of  the  Deity,  the  Jews  of 
to-day  are  not  altogether  unanimous  as  to  their  affilia- 
tion with  the  synagogue.  Social  differences,  as  well  as 
minor  disagreements  over  the  mode  of  worship,  have 
led  to  the  disintegration  of  the  synagogue.  The  posi- 
tion of  Pamass  has  become  a  worldly  achievement; 
competition  and  strife  in  acquiring  honor  and  leader- 
ship have  led  to  many  manipulations  and  often  resulted 
in  secession  and  the  formation  of  a  new  congregation. 

363 


364  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

The  cantor  and  rabbi  have  lost  the  monopoly, — ^by  far 
too  many  have  been  endowed  with  an  ambition  to  get 
hold, — of  the  pulpit  and  gain  possession  of  the  flock. 
Not  being  able  to  usurp  authority  over  the  existing 
synagogue,  they  have  been  tempted  to  form  their  own 
congregations,  separating  the  Jews,  as  far  as  the  syna- 
gogue is  concerned,  into  fifty-seven  varieties,  distin- 
guishing themselves  in  a  hundred  and  one  different 
ways.  There  are  the  Reformed  and  the  Ultra-Re- 
formed,— the  Orthodox  and  the  Ultra-Orthodox,  the 
Portuguese  and  the  German  and  the  Russian,  and  the 
Polish  and  the  Gahcian  disintegrated  into  as  many 
small  groups  as  there  are  cities  and  towns.  Great  is 
the  variety  of  the  synagogue,  great  and  extensive  as 
the  Jewish  Galut.^ 

When  Jewish  philanthropy  in  the  United  States 
came  face  to  face  with  the  problem  of  mass  immigra- 
tion in  the  eighties,  it  became  apparent  that  the  iso- 
lated, uncorrelated  agencies  for  relief,  the  different 
groups  connected  with  the  synagogue,  were  unable  to 
cope  with  the  situation.  A  more  efficient  organization 
became  a  necessity  and  the  idea  of  co-operation  arose. 

B.  Philanthropic  Effort  Taken  Out  of  the 
Synagogue 

It  was  evident  that  the  synagogue  was  unable  to 
achieve  the  purpose.  A  separate  movement, — a  move- 
ment among  the  Jews  for  concentrated  philanthropic 
effort, — ^was  started  with  the  result  that  almost  every 

^ExHe. 


THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE    365 

city  in  the  United  States  established  charity  societies, 
dealing  with  the  poor,  and  supported  by  the  com- 
munity at  large  without  any  respect  to  synagogue 
affiliations. 

For  some  time  this  arrangement  was  considered  rather 
favorable,  as  it  was  thought  that  the  analogy  of  sep- 
arating the  State  from  rehgion,  or  the  school  from 
the  church,  holds  good  in  this  case.  While  now  and 
then  the  synagogue  would  comment  upon  the  work  of 
the  Federation,  the  representatives  of  the  latter  tried 
to  steer  apart  from  anything  that  might  be  considered 
synagogue  affiliations.  If  the  synagogue  failed  to 
unify  the  Jews,  it  was  thought  that  the  cause  of  phil- 
anthropy might  succeed.  Philanthropic  effort,  based 
upon  efficiency  and  practical  appHcation,  avoided  the 
complications  that  threatened  on  the  injecting  of  reli- 
gious and  traditional  principles  in  a  work  of  social  en- 
deavor, looked  upon  as  a  matter  requiring  a  purely 
business  attitude.  Other  reasons  beside  a  religious 
motive  were  assigned  for  the  specifically  Jewish  philan- 
thropic activities. 

C.  The  Effort  to  Unite  the   Synagogue  with 
Charity  Endeavor 

The  synagogue,  which  willingly  gave  up  its  hold 
upon  charity  affairs  to  the  reUef  agency,  soon  realized 
its  mistake.  A  vital  element  now  was  missing.  Jewish 
religion  without  appHed  Judaism  became  a  dead  matter. 
The  young  generation,  especially,  was  not  attracted 
by  oral  social  service;  it  required  active  apphcations. 


366  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

Rabbi  Stephen  Wise  should  be  given  credit  for  being 
the  first  in  the  field  to  regain  the  hold  upon  charity 
endeavor  by  the  synagogue.  His  attempt  to  co-operate 
with  the  United  Hebrew  Charities  of  New  York  is 
worthy  of  emulation. 

A  beginning  was  m.ade  at  the  Conference  of  Jewish 
Charities  in  Richmond,  1906.  That  was  just  the  time 
when  the  principles  upon  which  Jewish  charities  were 
based  began  to  be  shattered.  It  was  rather  question- 
able whether  there  was  any  reason  for  specifically 
Jewish  activities.  If  the  Jews  cannot  solve  their  own 
problem  in  its  entirety,  why  should  they  have  any 
of  the  activities  separated  and  distinct — ^why  should 
the  Jew  contributing  to  the  general  cause  of  philan- 
thropic endeavor  not  relieve  himself  of  his  specific 
problem?  This  was  the  first  time  that  the  rabbi  was 
called  upon  to  settle  the  perplexing  problem.  The 
address  of  Dr.  Wise  was  received  in  a  rather  unfriendly 
way  by  the  professional  workers;  many  things  that 
he  said  then  he  probably  would  not  endorse  now,  but 
one  thing  is  certain,  he  did  emphasize  the  new  possi- 
bility of  real  co-operation  between  the  s)magogue  and 
the  Federation  and  not  only  in  co-operation  but  in 
action,  a  co-operation  which  meant  life  to  the  syna- 
gogue and  a  soul  to  the  charity  organization. 

D.  The  Federation  and  the  Synagogue 

Enthusiastic  over  the  intricacies  of  organization, 
impressed  with  the  complicated  details  entailed  in 
handling  the  phenomenon  of  dependency,  the  charity 


THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE   367 

worker  could  not  help  over-estimating  the  significance 
of  the  system  and  objecting  to  anything  that  would 
interfere  with  well-planned  activity.  The  problem  of 
raising  funds  was  reduced  almost  to  an  automatic 
arrangement;  the  machinery  of  handhng  cases  was 
put  under  a  stereotyped  proceeding;  it  was  now  annoy- 
ing to  lose  time  and  energy  upon  unnecessary  senti^ 
mental  features  in  rehef  giving.  The  rich  were  re- 
moved from  direct  contact  with  the  poor;  routine  work 
was  delegated  to  the  paid  worker;  the  directors  and 
members  of  the  Boards  were  now  elated  over  watching 
the  mecham'sm,  and  the  entire  proposition  was  re- 
duced to  a  well-regulated,  almost  mechanical  device — 
"how  to  cope  with  poverty."  For  a  time  this  arrange- 
ment seemed  to  be  ideal.  The  needs,  however,  have 
grown,  and  demands  increased.  The  machinery  oper- 
ated for  a  time  as  if  by  inertia,  but  with  the  loss  of 
pubHc  participation,  the  drying  up  of  the  varied  re- 
sources became  evident.  Public  sentiment  after  getting 
over  the  novelty,  began  to  weaken;  interest  in  philan- 
thropic effort  lessened;  the  sceptic  began  to  feel  him- 
self on  soKd  ground.  The  Federation  continued  its 
existence  but  found  it  difficult  to  spread  or  extend  its 
activities.  New  organizations, — independent, — began 
to  be  formed.  The  strict  rule  of  efiiciency  could  not 
be  maintained;  the  pubHc  began  to  lose  patience  and 
entire  organized  effort  began  to  feel  that  it  could  not 
continue  to  neglect  the  public. 

Here  is  where  the  synagogue  found  a  possibiUty  to 
regenerate  its  function  as  a  social  agency.    The  sister- 


368  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

hoods  began  to  be  quite  active;  different  social  groups 
were  organized,  the  synagogue  began  to  take  heed  of 
social  needs.  The  Orthodox  synagogue  became  in- 
strumental in  the  support  of  institutions  and  relief 
agencies  wdth  a  strictly  religious  tendency;  the  Reform 
synagogue  tried  to  connect  its  parishioners  with  actual 
charitable  activity.  The  Sunday  school,  besides  a 
religious  factor,  became  a  point  of  contact  with  the 
needy.  The  synagogues  boldly  made  collections  for 
purely  charitable  purposes.  In  some  cities,  the  syn- 
agogue took  the  initiative  in  organizing  the  volunteer 
workers  for  the  Federation.  The  synagogue  now  cries 
for  actual  social  service  application.  The  Federation  is 
in  dire  need  of  inspiration,  Jewish — sentimental — if  you 
please.  The  rabbi  comes  closer  to  being  a  social  worker 
and  the  latter  begins  to  realize  that  the  rabbi's  co- 
operation is  the  only  thing  that  will  save  his  cause. 

E.  The  Scope  of  Social  Service  in  the  Synagogue 

There  is  no  longer  any  doubt  that  the  synagogue  is 
again  becoming  a  center  of  social  service — the  question 
is,  in  what  way  can  the  synagogue  co-operate  with  the 
Federation,  satisfy  the  longing  for  practical  service  and, 
at  the  same  time,  feel  that  it  is  not  duplicating  nor 
interfering  with  organized  effort? 

The  Federation  has  demonstrated  its  efficiency  in 
the  way  of  constructive  economic  management  of 
philanthropy;  it  has  brought  to  light  the  many  phases  of 
the  intricate  problems  of  dependency,  dehnquency,  and 
deficiency;  it  has  supplied  definite  meaning  and  pro- 


THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE   369 

vided  a  definite  criteria  for  active  social  service,  but  it 
has  realized  that  it  is  not  making  progress  unless  it  is 
gaining  new  grounds — it  must  get  the  active  co- 
operation of  the  community — it  must  enlist  the  serv- 
ices,— the  very  sacrifices,  of  the  volunteer  forces.  Here 
is  where  the  synagogue  can  be  of  active  service:  it 
depends  upon  the  synagogue  to  instill  the  spirit  and 
enthusiasm  for  modern  public  service,  and  not  only  to 
provide  the  desire  for  active  public  work,  but  also  to 
find,  define,  supervise  and  actually  perform  the  task  of 
a  philanthropic  agency,  utilizing  the  method,  the  prin- 
ciple, and  the  facilities  of  the  existing  Federation.  It  is 
up  to  the  synagogue  to  see  that  its  numbers  adequately 
provide  support  to  the  Federation.  The  committee  of 
the  synagogue,  and  the  entire  congregation,  should  be 
interested  in  the  extent  of  contribution  of  each  and 
every  member  of  the  synagogue,  not  only  to  the  Federa- 
tion, but  to  all  charitable  endeavor. 

If  certain  Jewish  clubs  have  taken  upon  themselves 
to  reject  membership  to  persons  not  adequately  sup- 
porting local  charities,  does  it  not  behoove  the  syn- 
agogue to  take  the  same  attitude?  It  is  the  business  of 
the  rabbi  to  see  that  his  congregation  as  a  whole  is  well 
represented  in  the  amount  contributed  by  its  members 
to  the  various  charities.  If  each  and  every  synagogue 
would  do  its  duty  in  this  respect,  it  would  create,  to  a 
certain  extent,  an  impetus  to  the  charity  giver.  The 
Federation  would  soon  be  relieved  of  the  complaint  that 
it  is  supported  mostly  by  the  few  instead  of  the  many. 
The  synagogue,  knowing  the  total  amount  contributed 


370  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

by  its  entire  membership,  would  certainly  have  the 
interest  and  the  right  to  ascertain  definitely  the  actual 
functions  of  the  different  charities. 

The  synagogue,  as  a  whole,  or  in  its  special  com- 
mittee, should  examine  the  budgets  of  the  various 
philanthropic  agencies,  making  an  actual  test  of  the 
comparative  standing  of  the  different  charitable  in- 
stitutions, so  as  to  be  able  to  direct  properly  the  dona- 
tions of  its  parishioners.  The  synagogue  should  know 
the  exact  status  of  the  Jewish  charities,  and  special 
committees  should  be  vested  with  the  right  and  duty  of 
getting  the  necessary  knowledge  in  regard  to  local 
charities.  The  various  synagogues  should  be  actively 
represented  on  the  different  boards  of  the  different 
philanthropies.  The  synagogue  should  be  given  the 
benefit  of  the  experience  of  its  delegates  and  should 
receive  definite  reports  of  their  doings.  An  arrange- 
ment like  this  cannot  fail  to  serve  as  a  great  educational 
factor  in  the  community  and  would  popularize  the  work 
of  the  Federation  more  than  moving  pictures  and  more 
effectively  than  the  various  tricks  of  commercial  ad- 
vertising recently  come  into  vogue  but  distasteful  to 
the  professional  social  worker. 

The  Federation  needs  competent  trained  volunteers; 
the  synagogue  should  know  and  to  a  certain  extent  have 
a  supervisory  power  over  the  volunteer  service  among 
its  members,  who  are  or  should  be,  connected  with  the 
active  work  of  the  Federation.  The  synagogue  or 
temple  should  know  who,  of  its  members,  serve  as 
friendly  visitors  for  the  Federation  or  relief  society. 


THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE   371 

The  synagogue  should  organize  its  volunteer  forces, 
make  provision  for  their  training,  and  ascertain  their 
comparative  efficiency.  An  arrangement  such  as  this 
would  relieve  the  Federation  of  the  unnecessary  work  of 
tr3dng  to  keep  the  volunteer  service  together,  would  do 
away  with  the  individual  handling  of  the  friendly 
visitors,  which  produces  so  much  annoyance  among  the 
active  workers. 

Then  again,  the  synagogue  should  know  the  needs  of 
the  community  that  the  Federation  is  unable  to  meet — 
it  should  possess  the  knowledge  of  the  plans  of  the 
Federation  that  remain  uneffected  because  of  lack  of 
funds.  The  synagogue  as  a  unit,  should  take  upon  itself 
the  initiative  in  co-operation  with  other  synagogues  in 
helping  the  community. 

In  all  these  undertakings,  the  synagogue  ventures 
upon  philanthropic  fields  in  co-operation  with  the 
Federation — utilizing  the  Federation,  supplying  it  with 
new  resources,  new  forces,  new  interest,  and  a  motive, 
so  much  wanted  by  the  organized  Jewish  charities  to- 
day. 

The  synagogue  should  utihze  its  contact  with  the 
younger  generation,  instilling  in  the  latter,  not  only  a 
desire  for  generous  giving  but  also  an  enthusiasm  for 
actual  participation  in  the  practical  endeavors  of  Jewish 
social  service.  The  synagogue  should  provide  facilities 
for  training  the  younger  generation  along  these  par- 
ticular lines;  it  should  give  instruction  in  the  principles 
of  modern  Jewish  philanthropy  and  should,  in  co- 
operation with  the  Federation,  provide  practical  expe- 


372  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

rience  in  the  active  work  of  the  Federation.  The  Fed- 
eration cannot  do  this  work  on  its  own  responsibility; 
the  funds  that  the  Federation  collects  do  not  permit  the 
expenditure  for  the  education  of  its  working  forces;  its 
paid  employees  cannot  devote  their  time  in  instructing 
the  volunteers,  or  acquainting  the  young  people  espe- 
cially, with  the  intricacies  of  social  service.  This  should 
be  the  function  of  the  synagogue;  it  should  see  that  its 
members  receive  the  impetus,  not  only  to  hsten  to 
beautiful  and  moral  doctrines,  but  to  be  anxious  and 
fully  capable  to  apply  their  Judaism  in  actual,  practical 
life  and  in  answer  to  actual  experiences  of  the  Jewish 
community. 

F.  Plan  of  Action 

The  synagogue  has  an  extensive  field  for  philan- 
thropic endeavor;  it  cannot  cover  it  without  the  co- 
operation of  organized  effort.  Departure  in  this  direc- 
tion should  and  would  be  of  mutual  benefit  both  to  the 
synagogue  and  the  Federation.  There  is,  however,  one 
difficulty  that  should  not  be  overlooked.  The  syn- 
agogue must  reahze  that  modem  conditions  have 
developed  a  complicated  machinery  in  every  line  of 
human  endeavor;  this  is  also  true  in  regard  to  Jewish 
philanthropic  effort.  The  untrained,  or  the  amateur 
leader  in  the  philanthropic  circle  of  the  synagogue 
is  a  pathetic  figure  and  is  liable  to  cause  consid- 
erable and  actual  harm.  It  is  necessary  that  the 
synagogue  should  receive  the  guidance  of  the  profes- 
sional man  or  woman  who  is  in  a  position  to  direct 


THE  FEDERATION  AND  THE  SYNAGOGUE   373 

its  social  service  activities  in  accordance  with  the  other 
social  agencies  existing  in  the  city,  and  put  it  on  a  high 
plane  of  efficiency. 

In  this  longing  for  social  activity,  many  a  synagogue 
is  at  loss  what  to  undertake;  this  is  especially  tantalizing 
where  the  Federation  is  strong  or  where  other  syn- 
agogues are  already  in  the  field.  The  establishment 
of  study  circles,  sewing  circles,  willing  and  unwilling 
workers,  visiting  boards  and  different  committees,  rais- 
ing funds  on  the  sly — is  really  pathetic  and  the  lack  of 
enthusiasm  is  appalling.  This  piecemeal  work  is  not 
worth  the  effort;  it  carries  more  negative  than  positive 
value,  both  to  the  synagogue  and  to  the  organization — 
it  is  detrimental  to  both. 

If  the  synagogue  decides  to  become  an  actual  factor  in 
social  service,  it  should  first  of  all  take  an  inventory  of 
the  forces  that  it  already  possesses,  and  get  an  account 
of  the  actual  participation  with  existing  agencies. 
Should  the  synagogue  survey  the  participation  of  its 
membership  in  the  support  of  the  Federation,  it  would 
be  an  index  of  existing  interest.  If  the  synagogue  is 
sufficiently  involved  in  this  enterprise,  the  study  of  its 
workings,  the  budget  of  the  constituent  bodies,  the 
proportion  of  income  spent  on  administration  should 
be  a  legitimate  field  of  investigation.  Then  it  is  up  to 
the  synagogue  to  start  a  definite  campaign  among  its 
members  for  a  more  adequate  and  more  balanced  dis- 
tribution of  the  charity  donations  of  the  individual 
members. 

Besides  the  monetary  participation  in  the  philan- 


374  JEWISH  PHILANTHROPY 

thropic  effort  of  the  community,  the  synagogue  should 
take  account  of  the  personal  participation  of  its  mem- 
bers, trying  to  regulate,  direct,  and  imify  their  efforts. 
This  is  especially  important  in  making  connections  be- 
tween efforts  of  the  Federation  in  the  rehabilitation  of 
families  and  the  co-operation  of  active  business  men  of 
the  community.  In  all  these  endeavors,  however,  a 
definite  conception  of  the  detailed  workings  of  modem 
charitable  endeavor  is  of  paramount  importance. 
While  the  natural  leader  in  this  enterprise  should  be  the 
rabbi,  in  cases  where  the  latter  is  not  thoroughly  pre- 
pared to  meet  the  situation,  the  leadership  should  be 
vested  in  persons  who,  besides  possessing  noble  motives, 
have  the  necessary  knowledge  to  cope  with  the  situation. 
In  all  instances  the  work  should  be  based  upon  definite 
data  obtained  through  painstaking  investigation  and 
research  which  is  the  only  true  method  of  social  service 
to-day. 

Chapter  Twenty.    The  Federation  and  the  Synagogue 

Questions 

1.  What  role  did  the  synagogue  play  in  the  past  as  regards 
philanthropic  eflfort? 

2.  State  the  reasons  why,  in  earlier  endeavor,  an  attempt  was 
made  to  separate  charity  from  the  synagogue. 

3.  Explain  the  recent  change  in  the  tendency. 

4.  State  the  importance  of  professional  guidance  of  synagogue 
social  service. 


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the  United  States.  Jewish  Charities,  Vol.  IV,  No.  11. 
June,  1914. 

Proceedings  of  the  National  Conference  Jewish  Charities: 
Chicago,  1900;  Detroit,  1902;  New  York,  1904;  Philadel- 
phia, 1906;  Richmond,  1908;  St.  Louis,  1910;  Cleveland, 
1912;  Memphis,  1914;  Indianapolis,  1916. 

Rabinowitz,  Samuel.  Transients.  Jewish  Charities,  Vol.  II, 
No.  II.    June,  1912. 

Reeder,  Rudolph  R.  How  Two  Hundred  Children  Live  and 
Learn.    New  York,  1910. 

Richmond,  Mary.  Friendly  Visiting  among  the  Poor,  New 
York,  1899. 

Robinson,  Leonard  G.  Agricultural  Activities  of  the  Jews  in 
America,    American  Jewish  Year  Book,  1912-1913. 

Rubinow,  I.  M.  Economic  Conditions  of  the  Jews  in  Russia. 
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BIBLIOGRAPHY  381 

Rubinow,  I.  M.  Social  Insurance,  with  Special  Reference  to 
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Rubinow,  I.  M.  Standards  of  Health  Insurance.  New  York, 
1916, 

Ruppin,  Arthur.    The  Jews  of  To-day.    New  York,  1913. 

Sabsovich,  Professor  H,  L.  Jewish  Charitable  Activities  in 
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Richmond,  1908. 

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Schiff,  Jacob  H.  The  Galveston  Movement.  Jewish  Charities, 
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Senior,  Max.  Federation  of  Charities.  Proceedings  National 
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1906. 

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INDEX 


Note:  Wherever  practicable  the  word  "Jewish"  has  been  omitted 
for  obvious  reasons.  Thus  one  should  look  for  "Immigrants"  and 
not  "Jewish  Immigrants." 


Addams,  Jane,  246 
Administration  {See  also  Chap- 
ters XVII,  XIX),  facilities  of, 

343 

Agricultural  and  Colonial  As- 
sociation, 129 

Agricultural  and  Industrial  Aid 
Society,  30,  127, 128,  129, 137, 

253,  254 
Agricultural  banks,  128 
Aid  Society  of  Brooklyn,  200 
Aid  Society  of  Chicago,  200 
Alliance  Israelite  Universelle,  27, 

126,  136,  253,  255 
American    Hebrew    Agricultural 

Association,  125 
Americanization,  5,  228  sq.,  249, 

276  sq. 
American  Jewish  Committee,  36, 

57,  108,  no,  253 
American  Protective  Association, 

97 
Am  01am,  90, 130 
Annual  reports,  55 
Antiquary  Club,  258 
Anti-restriction  movement,  107 
Anti-sectarianism,  227 
Applications  for  relief,  342  {See 

also  Relief),  granting  of,  345; 

interviewing  of  applicants,  344; 


investigation  of,  347  sq.;  re- 
jection of,  346 

Art  classes,  239 

Art  Club,  258  {See  also  Graphic 
Sketch  Club) 

Back  to  the  soil  movement  (see 

Chapter  IX) 
Baron  De  Hirsch,  27,  28 
Baron   De   Hirsch    Agricultural 

School,    133    {Sec    also    Sab- 

sovich ;  Woodbine) 
Baron  De  Hirsch  Fund,  27,  28, 

30,  41,  113,  127,  129,  130,  132, 

182,  227,  253 
Baron  De  Hirsch  Trade  School, 

182,  242 
Beaulieu,  Leroy,  142 
Bedford  Sanitarium,  154 
Begging,    direct,    38    {See    also 

Tramps) 
Bellevue  Hospital,  147 
Benderly,  Dr.  S.,  217  sq.,  336 
Benjamin,  Eugene,  137 
Bernstein,  Dr.  Ludwig  B.,  161, 

162,  167 
Bezalel  School,  255 
Big  Brothers,  169,  333 
Big  Sisters,  169,  333 
Billeten,  60 


383 


384 


INDEX 


Billikopf,  Jacob,  222 

Billings,  Dr.  John,  142 

Blaustein,  Dr.  David,  39,  231  sq., 
240,  286 

Blind,  144  {See  also  Defectives) 

B'nai  B'rith,  Independent  Order 
of,  33,  41,  57,  108,  114,  120, 
147,  160,  211,  294 

Boys'  Brigade,  258 

Bressler,  David  M.,  116 

B'rith  Abraham,  211 

Budgets  {See  also  Administra- 
tion), analysis  of,  238;  prepar- 
ing of,  337 

Burnett,  John  L.,  108,  no 

Burnett-Dillingham  Bill,  no  {See 
also  Immigration  Legislation) 

Carton,  Max,  288 

Central  Relief  Committee,  37,  57 

"Chanukah  Trendel,"  259 

Charity  {See  also  Chapter  III; 
United  Charities)  a  duty,  17, 
18;  indiscriminate,  325;  in  the 
middle  ages,  23;  Mosaic  law 
and,  16,  17;  synonymous  with 
justice,  17 

Charity  box,  21,  39 

Charity  socials,  42 

Charity  taxes,  40 

Chautauqua,  Jewish,  220,  335 

"Chazanim,"  73 

Cheder,  216  sq.  {See  also  Reli- 
gious Instruction;  Talmud 
Torah) 

Child-caring,  167  {See  also  Infant 
Mortality;  Infant  Welfare) 

Children's  clubs,  257 


Chronic  invalids,  157  {See  also 

Defectives;  Sick) 
Cincinnati    Jewish    Settlement, 

224 
"Cincinnati  Method,"  153 
Citizenship  classes,  286  {See  also 

Americanization;  Settlements) 
Clara  De  Hirsch  Home  for  Girls, 

242 
Clothing,  327  {See  also  Standard 

of  Living) 
Community  forces,  260  sq. 
Congregate    systems,    160    {See 

also  Orphan  Asylums) 
Congregational     Schools,     free, 

215  sq.  {See  also  Cheder) 
Consumptives  {See  also  Tuber- 
culosis),   after-care    of,    151; 

National  Hospital  for,  78,  148, 

149,  152;  National  institutions 

for  the  care  of,  34 
Consumptives'  Relief  Society,  34, 

149 
Convalescents,     156    {See    also 

Sick) 
Co-operative  enterprizes,  128 
Council  Educational  Alliance  of 

Cleveland,  223,  237,  244 
Council  of  Jewish  Communal  In- 
stitutions, 362 
Coimcil  of  Jewish  Women,  35, 

103,  104,  143,  144,  151,  153, 

220,  253,  291 
Court  of  Arbitration,  274 
Credit  unions,  128 
Cremiet,  126 
Crime,   294   {See  also  Juvenile 

Dehnquency) 


INDEX 


385 


Day  nurseries,  169 

Deaf,  144  (See  also  Defectives), 
Society  for  the  Welfare  of 
Jewish,  144 

Defectives,  77,  144  (See  also 
Blind;  Chronic  Invalids;  Deaf; 
Sick) 

Delinquency,  234  (See  also 
Crime;  Juvenile  Delinquency) 

Dependency  (See  also  Chapters 
II,  XI;  Desertion),  causes  of, 
10;  chronic,  12;  immigration 
and,  10;  of  recent  origin,  12;  re- 
sistance to,  12;  temporary,  10, 
192 

Desertion,  171  sq. 

Desertion  Bureau,  National,  32, 
176,  179;  Wife,  177 

Dillingham,  Wm.  P.,  108,  no 

Directors,  boards  of,  300  sq.  (See 
also  Administration) 

Dispensaries,  138  sq. 

Distribution  (See  also  Chapter 
VIII;  Galveston  Movement; 
Industrial  Removal  Office;  Re- 
moval Work) 

Doll  Club,  258 

Doylestown,  Pa.,  134 

Dukas,  Julius  J.,  190 

Educational  Alliance,  Atlanta, 
224;  Baltimore,  223,  288; 
Cleveland,  223,  237,  244;  New 
York,  43,  223,  227  sq.;  St. 
Louis,  224,  287 

Educational  Institute,  Kansas 
City,  224,  22s 

Educational  League,  35,  235 


Educational  organizations  (See 
also  Chapter  XIV;  Yoimg 
Men's  Hebrew  Association) 

Emanu-El  Brotherhood,  223 

Emergency  funds,  56  (See  also 
Fund  Raising) 

Employment  agencies,  185,  186 
(See  also  Kehillah) 

English  classes,  271 

Entrepreneurs,  187  sq. 

Environment,  327,  328 

Essenes,  18,  ig,  20,  21,  25  (See 
also  Hasidim) 

Esther,  Deborah,  39 

Exposition  of  Jews  of  Many 
Lands,  252  sq. 

Farmers'  Association  of  St.  Louis, 
130 

Farming  (See  also  National  Farm 
School),  extent  of  Jewish,  128 

Federated  Orthodox  Jewish  Char- 
ities, 45 

Federation  of  Jewish  Charities, 
43  sq.  (See  also  Chapter  XX; 
United  Charities);  Baltimore, 
335 ;  Brooklyn,  46,  56;  Cleve- 
land, 56;  New  York,  46 

Federation  of  Jewish  Farmers  of 
America,  128,  254 

Feeble-minded,  145  (See  also 
Defectives) 

Fellowship  House,  169 

Fishberg,     Dr.     Maurice,     142, 

143 

Fleisher,  Samuel  S.,  282 
Food  (See  also  Standard  of  Liv- 
ing), consumption  of,  326 


386 


INDEX 


Frankel,  Dr.  Lee  K.,  i6o,  i6i 

172,  173,  185,  198 

Free  congregational  schools  [See 
also  Cheder),  215  sq. 

Free  loans,  189  sq. 

Free  loan  societies,  189,  190 

Free  medical  attendance  {See 
Dispensaries) 

Free  Sons  of  Israel,  211 

Free  Synagogue,  147,  154,  156 

Fresh-air  treatment,  323 

"Friendly  Visitors,"  318  sq.  {See 
also  Settlements;  Social  Work- 
ers; Volunteer  Service);  mod- 
ern type  of,  320;  problems  of, 
322  sq. 

Fromenson,  A.  H.,  234 

Fund  raising  {See  also  Chapter  V; 
Emergency  Funds),  efi&ciency 
tests  for,  49;  machinery  of, 
50  sq.;  pubUcity  for,  54;  sub- 
scription method  of,  49 

Galveston  Movement,  1 11, 122 
Games,  259 
Gemilath  Chesed,  189 
Ghetto,  13,  14,  114,  226  sq.,  247, 

269  sq. 
Ghetto  forces,  229 
"Golden  City,"  165 
Goldman,  Julius,  29 
Goldstein,  Monroe,  177 
Goldwater,  Dr.  S.  S.,  147 
Grace  Aguilar  Library,  227 
Graetz,  Rebecca,  216 
Grand  Island,   New  York,   86, 

125 
"Graphic  Sketch  Club,"  282  sq. 


Hachnosis  Orchim,  36,  71  sq. 
Hackenburg,  William  H.,  29 
Halpern,  Dr.  R.  L.  H.,  238 
Halukah  organizations,  40 
Hasidim  {See  Essenes) 
Health  of  the  poor,  322,  324 
Hebrew,  no 
Hebrew  Benevolent  Society,  86, 

201 
Hebrew  Congregations,  Union  of 

American,      109,     219,      220, 

253 

Hebrew  Institute  {See  also  "Pal- 
ace of  Immigrants"),  Chicago, 
224,  238  sq.,  335;  Detroit,  224; 
New  York,  212,  227 

Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Guardian 
Society,  160,  161,  164,  169, 
199,  200 

Hebrew  Sheltering  and  Immi- 
grant Aid  Society  of  America, 

35,  71,  72,  93,  103  sq. 
Hebrew  Technical  Institute,  43, 

241 
Hebrew  Union  College,  255 
Heinsheimer,  Alfred,  45 
Heinsheimer,  Louis  A.,  45 
Hekdesh,  25 

Helen  Day  Nursery,  170 
Henry  Street  Settlement,  282 
Hexter,  Maurice    B.,  159,   188, 

259 
Hoffman,  James  H.,  29 
Home      Finding      Society      of 

Chicago,  163 
Hospitals,  145  sq.;  social  service 

departments  in,  147 
Hourwich,  Dr.  Isaac  A.,  95 


INDEX 


387 


Housing,  325  {See  also  Standard 

of  Living) 
"Humane  Society,"  176,  178 

Ida  Straus  Colony,  130 

Immigrants  (See  also  Hebrew 
Sheltering  and  Immigrant  Aid 
Society  of  America),  aiding,  11, 
12,  92;  economic  status  of,  loi; 
education  of,  see  Chapter  XV; 
Portuguese,  84;  protection  of, 
102  sq. 

Immigrants'  Information  Bu- 
reau, III,  122 

Immigration,  5,  10,  93  {See  also 
Chapter  VII;  Dependency); 
early  Jewish,  84;  from  Poland, 
89;  from  Portugal,  84;  from 
Russia,  4,  89,  226;  of  1848,  87 

Immigration  Commission,  90, 
107  sq.,  128 

Immigration  funds,  91 

Immigration  legislation,  91,96  sq. 

Individual  standards,  202 

Inefficiency,  181 

Industrial  Removal  Office,  31, 
67,  76,  113  sq.,  253 

Infant  mortality,  142,  143 

Infant  welfare,  142  sq.,  323,  324 

Insanity,  155  {See  also  Defec- 
tives) 

Insufi&ciency  of  income,  181  {See 
also  Chapter  XII) 

Investigation  {See  Applications 
for  Relief) 

Isaacs,  Meyer  S.,  29 

Jacobs,  Dr.  Joseph,  48 


Jenks,  Professor  Jeremiah  W., 
108 

"Jewish  Charities,"  3^ 

Jewish  Charity  {See  also  Charity; 
United  Charities),  beginnings 
of,  in  the  United  States,  85 

Jewish  Colonization  Association, 
28,  30,  136 

Jewish  Community'  of  New  York 
{See  Kehniah) 

"Jewish  Farmer,"  127 

Jewish  immigration,  93  sq.  {See 
also  Immigration);  by  coun- 
tries, 93  sq. 

Jewish  press,  229,  230 

Jewish  Protectory,  186,  290 

Jewish  Territorialist  Organiza- 
tion, III,  122 

Jewish  Theatre,  229 

Joint    Distribution    Committee, 

37,  57 
Joint   Tuberculosis   Committee, 

1 54 

Joseph,  Dr.  Samuel,  95 

Juvenile  Aid  Society  of  Phila- 
delphia, 291 

Juvenile  delinquency,  289  sq. 
{See  also  Crime) 

Kaftan,  Simon,  39 

Kashruth,  166 

Kehillah,  253,  297,  bureau  of 
education  of,  218;  employ- 
ment agency  of,  186 

Kellor,  Miss  Frances,  186 

Kings  Park,  L.  I.,  137 

Kitchen  Garden  and  Trade  School 
for  Girls,  Cincinnati,  242 


388 


INDEX 


Know  Nothing  Movement,  87 
Krauskopf,  Dr.  Joseph,  35,  134 

Leadership,  295  sq. 

Leonard,  Oscar,  177,  288 

Leo  N.  Levi  Memorial  Hospital, 

147 
Levi,  Leo  N.,  114 
Levin,  Louis,  221 
Levin,  L.  H.,  166 
Levine,  Judge  Emanuel,  286 
Loeb,  Dr.  Morris,  135,  136,  235 
Loeb     Memorial     Convalescent 

Home,  157 
Loewenstein,  Dr.  Solomon,  161 
Low,  Minnie,  163,  274,  290-292, 

320,  330,  331 
Lucy    Flower    Technical    High 

School,  293 

Mack,  Judge  Julian  W.,  log,  290 

Maxwell  Settlement,  223 

Maternity  Hospital,  143 

Michael  Reese  Hospital,  141,  142 

Modem  philanthropy  (See  also 
Chapter  I),  Problem  of,  i,  6; 
scope  of,  7 

Montefiore  Agricultural  Aid  So- 
ciety, 126 

Montefiore  Home,  154,  157 

Mount  Sinai  Hospital,  147 

Moving  Pictures,  56 

Music  classes,  239 

Nathan  Marks  Orphan  Asylum, 

i6s 
National   Conference  of  Jewish 

Charities,  31,  61 


National  Farm  School,  35,  134 

National  Garment  Workers' 
Union,  253 

National  Jewish  Hospital,  34 

National  Jewish  Immigration 
Council,  36 

National  organizations  (See 
Chapter  IV;  Organizations) 

National  Union  of  Jewish  Shel- 
tering Societies,  36 

Neglected  Neighborhoods,  14, 
266  sq. 

Neighborhood  Work  (See  Chap- 
ter XVI) 

New  Jersey  Colonies,  129 

New  Odessa,  126 

New  York  Foundation,  186 

Noah,  Mordecai  M.,  86 

Norden,  Warner  Van,  185 

Nurses'  Settlement  (See  Henry 
Street  Settlement) 

Office  holding,  persistence  in,  298 

Organization  (See  Chapter  XVII; 
Administration) 

Organizations,  7,  8;  membership 
of,  8;  expenditures  of,  8,  9 

Organized  charity  (See  Charity; 
Jewish  Charity;  United  Chari- 
ties) 

Orphan  asylums,  2,  3,  160  sq. 
(See  also  Hebrew  Sheltering 
and  Guardian  Society) ;  Cleve- 
land, 161;  New  Orleans,  165; 
Orthodox  tendencies  in,  165; 
subventions  to,  165 

Orphans,  after  care  of,  169 

Orthodoxy,  3 


INDEX 


389 


"Palace  of  Immigrants,"  227 
Palestine,  254  (See  also  Zionists) 
Palitz,  B.,  213,  214 
Passing-on  policy,  61 
Pauperism,  61,  201 
Penny  luncheons,  143 
People's  Relief  Committee,  37,  57 
People's  Synagogue,  223 
Personal   Service   Bureau,    163, 

291,321 
Philanthropic  Research,  Bureau 

of,  362 
Pincus,  Joseph,  127 
"Placing-out  System,"  160 
Pleasant ville.  New  York,  164 
Polish  immigration,  89  (See  also 

Chapter  VII;  Immigration) 
Portuguese  immigrants,  84  {See 

also  Immigrants) 
Privations  in  war,  57 
Professional        beggars        (See 

Tramps) 
Pushka  (See  Charity  Box) 

Radical  National  Schools,  220 

Recent  arrivals,  83 

Record  keeping,  350  sq. 

Recreation  and  amusement,  329 

Registration  bureaus,  362 

Reiss,  Clara,  292 

Relief,  agencies  of,  2,  120;  con- 
tinuous, 203;  principles  of, 
21-23;  standards  of,  196  sq. 
(See  Chapter  XIII) 

Religious  instruction  (See  also 
Cheder;  Sabbatli  Schools;  Tal- 
mud Torah),  social  service 
agencies  and,  221  sq. 


Removal  work,  117  sq.  (See  also 
Distribution;  Industrial  Re- 
moval OflSce) 

Resident-dependents  (See  Chap- 
ter X) 

Rice,  Harry,  29 

Robinson,  Leonard  G.,  129 

Rosenwald,  Julius,  42,  163 

Russia  (See  also  Chapter  VII), 
immigration  from,  4,  89;  pov- 
erty of  Jews  in,  II 

Ruth  Club,  292 

Sabbath  schools,  2 1 5  sq.  (See  also 

Religious  Instruction) 
Sabsovich,  Professor  H.  L.,  39, 

130 
Sachs,  Dr.  Theodore,  148 
Sanitarium   treatment,    148   sq. 

(See  also  Tuberculosis) 
Schatz,  Boris,  255 
Schifif,  Jacob  H.,  29,  122,  184, 

190,  191 
Schnorrer,  ^8 
School    for    Jewish    Communal 

Workers,  335 
School  hygiene,  143 
School  of  Jewish  Social  Service, 

Cincinnati,  335 
Schules,    223    (See    also    Syna- 
gogue) 
Sectarianism,  2 
Self-government,   164   (See  also 

Orphan  Asylums) 
Self-respect  funds,  184 
Self-support  funds,  190 
Seligman,  Jesse,  29 
Senior,  Max,  298 


390 


INDEX 


Settlements,  221  sq.  {See  Chap- 
ter XVI);  as  social  service 
agency,  245;  charity  in,  247; 
children's  work  in,  280  sq.; 
co-operation  with,  288;  em- 
ployment and,  273;  expansion 
of  activities,  278;  legal  aid  in, 
274;  non-sectarianism  in,  252; 
origin  of,  246;  pohtics  and, 
284  sq.;  problems  of,  250  sq.; 
religion  in,  264  sq.;  resident 
workers  in,  247;  specializa- 
tion in,  282;  teaching  of  Eng- 
lish in,  271;  volunteer  workers 

in,  331 

Shalom,  125 

Shearith  Israel,  86 

Shiftlessness,  12 

Shochetim,  74     • 

Sickness,  77,  138  {See  also  De- 
fectives) 

Simpson,  Sampson,  86 

Slums,  13 

Social  organizations  {See  also 
Chapter  XIV),  rise  of,  211 

Social  service  {See  also  Hospi- 
tals), Bureau  of  Jewish,  Cin- 
cinnati, 362 

Social  workers,  302  sq.  {See  also 
Superintendents);  attitude  to 
board  of  directors,  310;  atti- 
tude to  community,  315;  dif- 
ficulties of,  308;  education  of, 
335;  National  Association  of 
Jewish,  335;  qualifications  of, 

304 
Socialism,    229,    231    {See    also 
Community  Forces) 


Solenberger,  Mrs.  Alice,  80 
Solomon,  Walter,  244 
Sons  of  the  Free,  126 
Spaniolas,  255 
Spectorsky,  Isaac,  232,  237 
Standard  of  Living,  203  sq.,  325- 

327 

Steinholtz,  Elinor,  143 

Straus,  Ida,  130 

Straus,  Isidor,  130,  228 

Straus,  Oscar  S.,  29 

Struggle  for  existence,  329 

Strunsky  Survey,  149 

Subventions,  53 

Sulzberger,  Cyrus  B.,  114,  245 

Sulzberger,  Meyer,  29 

Superintendents,  304  sq. 

Synagogue  {See  also  Chap- 
ter XX),  philanthropy  and  the, 
363  sq.;  scope  of  social  service 
in  the,  368;  volunteer  workers 
and  the,  370;  younger  genera- 
tion and  the,  371 

Talmud  Torah,  216  sq.  {See  also 

Religious  Instruction) 
Technical  education,  241  sq. 
Teller,  Chester,  165 
Touro  Infirmary,  157 
Toynbee  Hall,  246 
Training  School,  Chicago,  242 
Tramps,  73,  79  sq. 
Transients    {See    Chapter    VI), 

temporary  dependent,  75 
Transportation    Rules,    62    sq.; 

new,  68 
Travel  Club,  257 
Traveling  rabbi,  73 


INDEX 


391 


Tuberculosis,  148  sq.,  324  (See 
also  Consumptives;  Sanitarium 
Treatment);  home  treatment 
of,  150 

Unemployment,  186 

Union  of  American  Hebrew  Con- 
gregations, 109,  219,  220,  253 

United  Charities  (See  also  Char- 
ity; Federation;  Jewish  Char- 
ity); Baltimore,  45;  Brooklyn, 
46;  Chicago,  362;  Cincinnati, 
77,  152-154,  188,  193;  New 
York,  44,  90,  94,  102,  104,  143, 
154,  183-186,  190,  366;  Phil- 
adelphia, 42,  201 

Utah  Colonization  Fund,  130 


Wanderlust,  61 

War,  privations  of,  57 

West  Side  Dispensary,  141 

Widows'  pensions,  1 59 

Wiener,  Cecile  B.,  362 

Wife  Desertion  Bureau,  177  (See 
also  Desertion) 

Wise,  Rabbi  Stephen  J.,  366 

Wolf,  Simon,  109,  114 

Wolfenstein,  Dr.  S.,  162 

Wolffert,  Julius,  240 

Woodbine,  130  sq. 

Woodbine  Land  and  Improve- 
ment Company,  132 

Work  day,  apportionjnent  of,  326 

Workingmen's  Circle  Sanitarium, 
149 


Vocational  training,  182,  183, 
293  (See  also  Baron  De  Hirsch 
Trade  School) 

Volunteer  service  (See  Chapter 
XVIII) 

Wald,  Lillian,  141,  274 
Waldman,  Morris  D.,  46,   155, 
172,  174-176 


Yalden,  J.  E.  G.,  183 
Yiddish,  229  sq.,  260 
Young  Men's  Hebrew  Associa- 
tion, 212  sq.,  227 

Zangwill,  Israel,  38,  255 
Zedakah, 17 

Zepin,  Rabbi  George,  290 
Zionists,  no 


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